CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts Council

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on how many occasions he met the chief executive of the Arts Council in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), and I have met the chief executive of Arts Council England on a regular basis from 2010 to the present, and will continue to do so.

Bed and Breakfast Accommodation

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of (a) bed and breakfast establishments, (b) bed and breakfast rooms, (c) paid lodging establishments and (d) paid lodging rooms in each parliamentary constituency or local authority area.

John Penrose: This Department is not able to provide the information in the precise categories requested. However, VisitEngland's "England Accommodation Stock Audit" which was published in 2010 includes data at regional and county levels and is available at:
	www.visitengland.org/Images/Stock%20Audit%20final_tcm30-26756.pdf
	http://www.visitengland.org/Images/Stock%20Audit%20final_tcm30-26756.pdf

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport with reference to the 2012 Budget, which smaller cities will receive the new funding for super-connected cities; how such cities have been or will be selected; and how he proposes the funding will be divided between the cities.

Edward Vaizey: The Department will publish the eligibility and selection criteria by the end of April including how funds will be allocated.

Broadband

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing a universal service obligation for broadband provision.

Edward Vaizey: The merits of introducing a broadband universal service obligation (USO) were considered in the context of the Commission's public consultation on universal service principles and its third periodic review of the scope of universal service. Only three member states—Finland, Spain and Malta—have included broadband in their national USO. The UK's position is that the time is not right to introduce a broadband USO as it may constrain private investment in networks. The current non-regulatory approach to delivering universal broadband is considered the most effective means of stimulating commercial investment while minimising costs to the public purse.

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the likelihood that all Broadband Delivery UK's superfast broadband funding will be allocated to BT; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: Local authorities and the devolved Administrations have been allocated funding from the Rural Broadband Delivery Programme and will be responsible for supplier selection under their respective procurements. BT are bidding for the eight projects currently in procurement, and are one of the suppliers bidding to be included on the Broadband Delivery Framework which we expect will be used for most of the remaining procurements for the rural programme.
	City authorities will be allocated funding from Urban Broadband Fund and will be responsible for the supplier selection under their respective procurements.

Broadband: Rural Areas

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the provision of broadband in rural areas.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), recently reported and discussed with the Prime Minister at Cabinet the progress toward the Government's broadband objectives. The Secretary of State has also had discussions with other Ministers, including Ministers in devolved Administrations, on specific broadband issues.

Civil Servants: Codes of Practice

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many investigations into breaches by civil servants of the Civil Service Code of Conduct occurred in his Department in each month from May 2010 to March 2012.

John Penrose: There have been no breaches of the Civil Service Code in this Department from May 2010 to March 2012, and therefore no investigations have been conducted.

Cultural Heritage: Armed Conflict

Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of protection of cultural property in areas of conflict; and if he will bring forward legislative proposals based on the draft Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill 2008.

John Penrose: Although this Department has not made a recent assessment of the adequacy of protection of cultural property in areas of conflict, I am aware that evaluation and assessment to help ensure effective respect and protection of cultural property are an integral part of military operations. The Government are committed to introducing legislation to ratify the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property and accede to its two protocols as soon as parliamentary time allows, taking account of all our legislative priorities.

Domestic Visits

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many visits he has made to each English region since May 2010.

John Penrose: The number of events and visits in regions outside of London the Secretary of State has taken in an official capacity since May 2010 can be found in the following table:
	
		
			 Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
			 Region Number of  v isits 
			 East Midlands 3 
			 East England 5 
			 North East England 3 
			 North West England 7 
			 South East England 10 
			 South West England 4 
			 West Midlands 9 
			 Yorkshire & the Humber 2

Email

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his policy is on the period for which emails sent and received by (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department are retained; and whether such emails are recoverable from the IT systems in his Department after that period.

John Penrose: The Department has an electronic records management system, which allows staff to store emails which require keeping as part of the official record. Information stored in this system is managed in line with National Archive standards. E-mail folders for individuals—whether staff, Ministers or Special Advisers—are not part of the permanent record, and are constrained by size limits. When those limits are reached e-mails are either deleted or saved to the records management system. Using an additional system, we keep a copy of all e-mails received and sent since 2008.

Mobile Phones: Radio Frequencies

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with Ofcom on its conclusion in its 4G spectrum auction consultation that those mobile operators without low frequency spectrum will not be able to provide coverage in hard to reach areas.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has had no discussions with Ofcom on this specific issue. The matter raised is an operational one for the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom).
	Ofcom's second consultation on the combined auction of 800 MHz and 2600 MHz spectrum closed on 22 March. In that consultation Ofcom recognised that holders of 1800 MHz spectrum might not be able to serve some of the hardest to reach locations (in urban as well as rural areas) but considered that this was unlikely to materially affect the ability of those operators to be credible national wholesalers. Ofcom has received over 40 responses to this consultation which it is currently analysing. Ofcom intends to decide on these issues and publish a statement in July.

Mobile Phones: Radio Frequencies

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport with reference to Ofcom's consultation on the 4G spectrum auction, whether all of the hard to serve areas described will be covered by the Mobile Infrastructure Project.

Edward Vaizey: The primary objective of the Mobile Infrastructure Project is to address the so-called “not-spots” by extending mobile coverage beyond the existing voice footprint. This is achieved through building new infrastructure which will host mobile services. Where possible, we are doing so having regard to enabling future use of these sites for other technologies such as 4G services.

Mobile Phones: Radio Frequencies

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the comparative merits of using spectrum in the (a) 800 MHz and (b) 1800 MHz bands for extending (i) outdoor and (ii) indoor coverage in mobile broadband not spots.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has made no assessment of these issues. The matter raised is an operational one for the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom). Ofcom's second consultation on the combined auction of 800 MHz and 2600 MHz spectrum closed on 22 March, in that consultation Ofcom set out its refined analysis of the relative technical capabilities of spectrum at different frequencies, including its ability to provide coverage both outdoors and indoors. Ofcom has received over 40 responses to this consultation which it is currently analysing. Ofcom intends to decide on these issues and publish a statement in July.

Museums and Galleries

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of (a) publicly and (b) charitably funded (i) art galleries, (ii) museums and (iii) archives which (A) closed and (B) opened in each local authority area in each of the last five years.

Edward Vaizey: This Department’s strategic body Arts Council England (ACE) continues to monitor the effects of the local authority budget decisions on arts and cultural organisations. However, ACE does not hold information on venues that they do not regularly fund, or those funded through charitable giving.
	No galleries funded by ACE have closed in the last five years. The galleries that have opened are: Towner (museum and art gallery), Eastbourne; Turner Contemporary, Margate; Nottingham Contemporary; Hepworth, Wakefield; and Firstsite, Colchester.
	No museum service funded via renaissance funded hub museums has closed in the last five years. Information on closures of independent, local authority or charitably funded museums is not held centrally.

Olympic Games 2012

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effects on (a) the economy and (b) business of the London 2012 Olympics.

Hugh Robertson: The new £130 million tourism campaign to showcase Great Britain in 2012 aims to deliver an additional 4.6 million visitors, £2.7 billion of extra spend and the creation of about 60,000 job opportunities. The UK is already benefiting from the games, with 98% of the £6 billion-worth of contracts for the ‘big build’ and 90% of the £1 billion-worth of contracts for staging the games going to UK businesses. If we add to that the £1 billion boost to British business that is expected through trade and investment, it amounts to a strong legacy from the games for the UK economy and British business.
	The Department has commissioned a consortium, led by Grant Thornton, to undertake a comprehensive meta-evaluation of the impacts and legacy of the games. The initial report will be published in the autumn and a further report in summer 2013.

Olympic Games 2012

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he has taken to encourage the recruitment of staff for the London Olympic Games from Northern Ireland.

Hugh Robertson: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) published its Employment and Skills Strategy in February 2008
	http://www.london2012.com/documents/oda-publications/employment-and-skills-strategy-feb-08-low-res.pdf
	Its goal has been to promote sustainable employment opportunities and to boost skill levels both locally within London and across the UK, to encourage skill development within the construction industry and to improve coordination between employers, recruiters and training organisations.
	The ODA's construction programme is almost complete. However, during the main construction phase, the ODA worked with Construction Skills, Job Centre Plus, Developers, Contractors and other partners to ensure that job opportunities were open and accessible to all, with information about job opportunities widely advertised, including on the London 2012 website. All ODA job opportunities are open and available to all residents of the UK, including Northern Ireland.
	The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), a private organisation operating independently of Government, published their London 2012 Employment and Skills Strategy in September 2010
	http://www.london2012.com/documents/locog-hr/2012-employmentskills-2-web1-2-.pdf
	LOCOG workforce opportunities will be communicated and advertised across London and the rest of the UK; working with Adecco and key stakeholders to ensure that they reach out to all community groups.
	LOCOG roles are open for all to apply to and contracting opportunities advertised are open to organisations throughout the UK. In addition, LOCOG has held a series of visits across the UK to promote the social, sporting, economic and community engagement opportunities of the games.
	The London 2012 games support the Government's Plan for Growth, by providing opportunities for business across the UK; enabling UK businesses to maximise opportunities for export; and helping to boost the number of visitors to the UK.
	In order to assess the benefits to the UK, the Department has commissioned a meta-evaluation of the impacts and legacy of the London 2012 games. The meta- evaluation will estimate the impact of the 2012 games on gross value added (GVA) and employment in the nations and regions, and in London. An initial pre-games evaluation will be published in autumn 2012 and an initial post-games evaluation in summer 2013.

Radio Frequencies

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Weightless Special Interest Group on developing standards for white space spectrum usage.

Edward Vaizey: Neither I nor my officials have met with the Weightless Special Interest Group. However, Ofcom, the independent spectrum regulator, has had contact with the Weightless Special Interest Group by virtue of the fact that an Ofcom official attended a meeting of the group in 2011. Ofcom have also had contact with the Weightless Special Interest Group members at various UK stakeholder and international events.
	Ofcom is in the process of developing regulations to enable white space devices to operate in the Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) TV band without causing harmful interference to existing services. Existing services include digital terrestrial television and wireless microphones used in programme making and special events. Ofcom is working with stakeholders to finalise the necessary regulations which we aim to be in place by the end of 2012.

Radio Frequencies

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his policy is on spectrum white spaces and use of the 600 MHz band.

Edward Vaizey: The matter raised is an operational one for the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom). Ofcom has published a consultation ‘Securing long term benefits from scarce spectrum resources: a strategy for UHF bands IV and V’ on 29 March 2012, which outlines a number of options for this spectrum. Ofcom will be considering next steps for the 600 MHz band in light of responses to this consultation. Officials in this Department will continue to engage with Ofcom to understand how best this spectrum could be made available.

Radio Frequencies

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision by Apple not to support European 4G frequencies on its new iPad on (a) 4G take up and (b) spectrum congestion.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has made no such assessments of the effect of Apple's, decision not to support European 4G frequencies on its new iPad at this time. We expect smartphone and tablet usage to be major drivers of 4G take up. New products will be released at an increasing rate as more 4G networks become operational.

Telecommunications: Hearing Impairment

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport with which telecommunications companies he has held discussions on deaf people’s access to telecommunications; and which companies have responded to his request for cost-effective solutions to meet the needs of deaf people.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), held a round table meeting with telecoms providers on video relay services (VRS) in September 2011. The meeting focused on access to telecommunications services in the UK for hearing impaired users, in context of the Ofcom’s review of relay services in the UK.
	The meeting was attended by BT, Kingston Communications, Everything Everywhere, O2, Vodafone, 3, Talk Talk, Virgin Media and BSkyB.
	Ofcom’s consultation proposed significant improvements to help meet the needs of hearing impaired users, particularly through the proposals for next generation text relay (NGTR) that would provide an enhanced text relay service available 24/7, enabling support for two-way simultaneous communication and allowing mainstream equipment to be used.
	The Secretary of State is keen that businesses and telecommunication companies also provide VRS for their disabled customers. BT is currently running a trial for its disabled customers and the Secretary of State hopes that others will also follow suit. The Secretary of State is pleased that Ofcom will also consult on specific proposals for VRS in the summer as this will help to progress work in this area.

Telecommunications: Hearing Impairment

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when Ofcom will publish the results of its consultation on relay services.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom is currently working on a statement and a further consultation on text relay, which will be published this spring.

Telecommunications: Hearing Impairment

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress has been made on the formation of a video relay sub-group of the e-Accessibility Forum; and when it will hold its first meeting.

Edward Vaizey: Several organisations such as the Mobile Broadband Association, BT, Positive Signs, Telecommunications Advisory Group, PhoneAbility, UK Council on Deafness along with video relay service providers such as Sorenson, Sign on Screen, Significan’t and Sign Solutions have expressed interest in video relay sub-group. The initial membership is expected to be finalised in April, after which the sub-group can decide the date of its first meeting.

Unsolicited Text Messages

Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what regulations cover the practice of some companies of sending unsolicited text messages for which recipients are charged at high rates; and what steps he is taking to end this practice.

Edward Vaizey: Consumers are protected from unsolicited text messages through the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) 2003, which requires prior consent, unless the number has previously been provided in the context of a purchase of a product or service. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has responsibility for enforcement of the regulations and considers complaints about breaches. The ICO is able to issue a fine of up to £500,000 for the most serious breaches of the PECR.
	A charge should not be incurred for the receipt of unsolicited text messages. Consumers are advised to contact the company concerned and their mobile service provider to register a complaint.
	Additionally, PhonepayPlus regulates “reverse charged” text messaging, for services such as downloading ringtones, news and sports alerts, which are classified as premium rate services and are charged at a higher rate than standard calls. Therefore, if a consumer has inadvertently signed up to such a service, they can register a complaint with PhonepayPlus.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many contracts Vodafone has been awarded by his Department in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what contracts his Department has with Vodafone.

John Penrose: The Department has one contract with Vodafone, for mobile phones. This was awarded in April 2011.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many times the Permanent Secretary in his Department has met Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months.

John Penrose: In the last 12 months, the Permanent Secretary, Jonathan Stephens, has met the CEO and senior executives of Vodafone UK once.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she decided to make a Statement to the House on her Alcohol Strategy.

James Brokenshire: It was always planned that a statement would be made to the House on the Government's Alcohol Strategy after the Budget on 21 March 2012, Official Report, columns 793-808. The Easter recess meant that a number of important announcements had to be made in a limited number of days.

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department's proposal to ban multi-buy discounts for the purchase of alcoholic beverages will be applied to discounts for wine bought by the case.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The Government will consult on a proposed multi-buy discount in the forthcoming months. The consultation will consider the types of promotions that could be subject to a ban.

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the possible effects of introducing minimum pricing of alcoholic drinks on levels of illegal drug use among (a) under 25-year-olds and (b) all age groups.

James Brokenshire: The Government will consider a range of issues during the public consultation on minimum unit pricing in the forthcoming months.

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the proportion of (a) all alcohol, (b) beer, (c) cider, (d) vodka, (e) whisky and (f) wine sold in the off-trade in England and Wales that will rise in price as a result of a 40 pence minimum unit price.

James Brokenshire: The Government will produce an impact assessment on minimum unit pricing prior to introducing legislation.

Asylum: Sri Lanka

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sri Lankan nationals have been granted asylum in each of the last 10 years.

Damian Green: The following table contains the number of Sri Lankan nationals (main applicants) who have been granted asylum in each of the last 10 years.
	
		
			 Grants of asylum, HP, DL or ELR at initial decision for main applicants, Sri Lankan nationals 
			   Grants of : 
			  Total grants Asylum HP DL ELR 
			 2002 615 338 n/a n/a 277 
			 2003 117 18 0 44 55 
			 2004 98 10 1 87 n/a 
			 2005 64 6 0 58 n/a 
			 2006 62 5 0 57 n/a 
			 2007 124 67 2 55 n/a 
			 2008 206 146 1 59 n/a 
			 2009 190 133 1 56 n/a 
			 2010 228 186 0 42 n/a 
			 2011 324 291 0 33 n/a 
			 n/a = Not applicable. Notes 1. Data from 2010 onwards are provisional figures. 2. Initial decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period and exclude the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. 3. Humanitarian protection (HP) and Discretionary leave (DL) replaced exceptional leave to remain (ELR) from 1 April 2003. 
		
	
	The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of asylum applications and initial decisions. These are available in tables as.01—as.02 of asylum excel tables volume 1 of the quarterly Immigration Statistics. The latest release “Immigration Statistics October—December 2011” is available in the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science, research and statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/

Asylum: Sri Lanka

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refused asylum seekers have been removed with escorts to Sri Lanka in each month since May 2010.

Damian Green: This information is not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols.
	However, published statistics are available on a quarterly and annual basis which report on removals to Sri Lanka broken down by quarter. This publication is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science, Research and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q4-2011/

British Nationality

Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 has been used to deprive a person of British citizenship; and how many such people were British-born citizens.

Damian Green: Section 56 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 which relates to deprivation of British citizenship, came into force on 16 June 2006.
	Since that date 15 individuals have been deprived of their British citizenship. Of these, five had been British since birth.
	This information has been provided from local management information and is not a National Statistic. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.

Crime Prevention

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will list each completed Joint Investigation Team that UK authorities have participated in since they became available including (a) the names of the other participants, (b) its purpose and (c) its duration in each year; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The specific data requested are not centrally held. However, from information provided by Eurojust, which supports the establishment and operation of EU joint investigation teams, the UK has been involved in 15 joint investigation teams since 2009.
	Joint investigation teams have proved a valuable means of enhancing practical co-operation between EU member states in addressing cross-border crime.

Crime: Drugs

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of crime was drug-related in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Brokenshire: There were 232,060 drug offences recorded by the police in England and Wales in the 12 months to September 2011. This accounts for 6% of total recorded crime (4,052,866 offences).
	Police recorded crime data collected centrally do not identify whether other offences are drug-related.
	Questions are asked on the British crime survey (BCS) as to whether victims perceived an offender to be under the influence of drugs.
	Latest figures published for violent crime from the 2010-11 BCS suggest that in 20% of violent incidents, victims perceived the offender to be under the influence of drugs.

Deportation: Sri Lanka

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been deported to Sri Lanka (a) in total and (b) in each month since May 2010.

Damian Green: The following table provides the available information on the total number of all nationals who were removed or departed voluntarily from the UK to Sri Lanka in each month since May 2010.
	
		
			 Removals and voluntary departures (1)  to Sri Lanka (2) , May 2010 to December 2011 (3) 
			  Number of departures 
			 2010  
			 May 41 
			 June 54 
			 July 34 
			 August 54 
		
	
	
		
			 September 42 
			 October 56 
			 November 62 
			 December 54 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 58 
			 February 57 
			 March 81 
			 April 41 
			 May 48 
			 June 75 
			 July 48 
			 August 75 
			 September 105 
			 October 84 
			 November 88 
			 December 105 
			 Total 1,262 
			 (1) Removals and voluntary departures recorded on the system as at the dates on which the data extracts were taken. (2) Destination as recorded on source database. (3) Provisional figures. Figures will under record due to data cleansing and data matching exercises that take place after the extracts are taken. 
		
	
	The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK within Immigration Statistics. The data on removals and voluntary departures by country of destination are available in the latest release, Immigration Statistics, October to December 2011, tables rv.06 and rv.06.q, from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science, research and statistics web pages at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/

Domestic Visits

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visits she has made to each English region since May 2010.

Damian Green: The following table shows the number of visits the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), has made to each English region since May 2010:
	
		
			 Region Number of visits 
			 East Midlands 2 
			 East of England 6 
			 Greater London 25 
			 North East England 0 
			 North West England 3 
			 South East England 3 
			 South West England 0 
			 West Midlands 2 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1

Email

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the period for which emails sent and received by (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in her Department are retained; and whether such emails are recoverable from the IT systems in her Department after that period.

Damian Green: Emails will be accessible on the Home Office's main IT system for as long as they are held by an individual user. This applies equally to Ministers, officials and special advisers. Where appropriate, emails are retained on the Department's corporate file plan, which is subject to normal retention and disposal schedules.
	Once deleted, emails might still be retrievable from the system for up to 30 days. In exceptional cases, emails may be restored from back-up records. These are usually held for up to six months, but do not constitute a complete record of data held over that period.

Entry Clearances: Domestic Service

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation she has held with (a) non-governmental organisations and (b) other interested parties on protection for migrant domestic workers; how many responses to the consultation Employment Related Settlement, Tier 5 and Overseas Domestic Workers her Department received; and how many responses to the consultation Employment Related Settlement, Tier 5 and Overseas Domestic Workers answered yes to question 28 on the removal of the right to change employer for migrant domestic workers.

Damian Green: The Government's consultation on Employment-related settlement, Tier 5 and Overseas Domestic Workers was published on 9 June 2011 and closed for comment on 9 September 2011. 12,499 responses were received, 9,328 to question 28.
	36% responded yes to that question, 43% no and 21% had no opinion. In addition to the written consultation, I and my officials have had meetings with Kalayaan, Oxfam and members of the other House.

Entry Clearances: Sri Lanka

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sri Lankan nationals have been refused entry to the UK in each of the last 10 years.

Damian Green: The following table provides the total number of Sri Lankan nationals who were initially refused entry to the UK in each year from 2004 to 2011. Data for earlier years are not available.
	
		
			 Non-asylum passengers, nationals of Sri Lanka, initially refused entry to the UK 
			  Total refusals Of these: refused at juxtaposed controls 
			 2004 178 (1)— 
			 2005 207 93 
			 2006 155 72 
			 2007 191 57 
		
	
	
		
			 2008 263 102 
			 2009 246 63 
			 2010(2) 259 51 
			 2011(2) 178 36 
			 (1) Not available. (2) Provisional figures. 
		
	
	The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of persons initially refused entry to the United Kingdom. Data on those initially refused entry are available in tables be.08 to be.08q of the Before Entry Excel tables from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science, research and statistics webpages at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/

Exports: Metals

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of scrap metal containers leaving the UK are checked at UK ports.

Richard Benyon: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	Under the "green list" control system for shipments of non-hazardous waste the Environment Agency is not provided with the details of the tonnage of scrap metal exports from England and Wales. However, it estimates the total amount of ferrous scrap exported is approximately 8 million tonnes a year.
	The Environment Agency has not inspected any scrap metal exports from England and Wales since 2009. Its intelligence-led approach to tackling waste crime means that containers are only inspected when there is reason to suspect that the contents are being shipped in contravention of the regulations. The Environment Agency has no intelligence to suggest that scrap metal has been being exported illegally since this date and has therefore not targeted these containers.

Foreign Workers: Doctors

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many doctors from outside of the EU have emigrated to Havering in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: Statistics on the destination of people arriving in the UK are not collated by the UK Border Agency.

G4S: Public Expenditure

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what she estimates will be the cost to the public purse of G4S providing services to (a) the West Midlands and (b) Surrey police forces.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 12 March 2012
	The procurement notice sets out the potential range of the contract as between £300 million and £3.5 billion—subject to the forces' and police authorities' decisions on the final scope for implementation and the number of forces that choose to join. It is intended that this investment should deliver improvements to services and considerable savings to the taxpayer.

Human Trafficking Ministerial Group

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to ensure that the first report of the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking will be debated in Parliament.

Damian Green: The Government will publish the report and look to have it debated in Parliament, subject to the availability of parliamentary time.

Immigrants: Detainees

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long on average people were held in short-term holding facilities in Northern Ireland following their illegal entry into the UK in the latest period for which figures are available.

Damian Green: During the period 11 July 2011 to 22 March 2012, 347 people were detained for a total of 1,272 days in short-term holding facilities in Northern Ireland.
	The average period of detention is therefore 3.67 days.
	Note:
	All figures quoted are management information which has been subject to internal quality checks. This information is provisional and therefore subject to change.

Immigration: Bexleyheath

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will estimate the number of foreign nationals in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency pursuing applications of any kind with the UK Border Agency who do not have access to public funds; and how many such foreign nationals are children.

Damian Green: Constituency level data are not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols.
	However the UK Border Agency publishes immigration statistics on a quarterly and annual basis. The latest published statistics on asylum and non asylum applications can be found here:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q4-2011/

Ketamine

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to complete its review into ketamine.

James Brokenshire: I expect the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to complete its review by the end of March 2013, if not sooner, as indicated in the Secretary of State for the Home Department’s commissioning letter to the ACMD which sets out the Government's priorities for inclusion in their 2012-13 work programme. I anticipate that the ACMD will respond to the commissioning letter shortly. The commissioning letter is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/alcohol-drugs/drugs/hs-acmd-priorities-2012-2013?view=Html

Leena Homes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total monetary value is of the contracts her Department has held with Leena Homes since 2007.

Damian Green: The Home Office has held one contract with Leena Homes since 2007, the value of which is £4,349,269.

Leena Homes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts her Department has held with Leena Homes since 2007.

Damian Green: Since 2007, the Home Office has held one contract with Leena Homes.

Licensing Laws

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many alcohol licences have been revoked in Brigg and Goole constituency due to the sale of alcohol to children since the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing Statistical Bulletin collects the number of licences revoked, but does not indicate why they were revoked. Licences may be revoked following a review by the licensing authority for a number of reasons, including persistent selling of alcohol to children. However, the persistent sale of alcohol to children is a specific criminal offence under section 147A of the Licensing Act 2003.
	Data specifically for Brigg and Goole constituency are not collected centrally. However, the constituency falls within the combined licensing authority area of East Riding of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. From 2007-08 to 2009-10, there were neither premises licences revoked, club premises certificates withdrawn, nor premises licences suspended by a court. For 2006-07, these authorities did not supply the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) with this information.

Manpower

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were employed in interim posts by (a) her Department and (b) a Non-Ministerial Department or arm's length body controlled by her Department through (i) Penna Consulting, (ii) Reed Personnel Services and (iii) Capita Resourcing Ltd (trading as Veredus) at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many such people (A) had been in post for over a year and (B) worked full-time at that date.

Damian Green: holding answer 23 March 2012
	The number of people employed in interim posts through (i) Penna Consulting, (ii) Reed Personnel Services and (iii) Capita Resourcing Ltd by the Home Department and its agencies as at 28 February 2012 is listed in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of current contractors as at 28 February 2012   
			 Supplier (a) Department (b) ALBs In post for over one year Full - time 
			 Capita/Veredus 3 8 9 11 
			 Reed Specialist Recruitment 0 1 1 0 
			 Penna 0 2 2 2

Mass Media

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what media monitoring services her Department has purchased in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: Media monitoring services have been provided to the Department and its agencies by five companies in the past five years. The following table includes the names of the companies contracted for these services. We have reduced spend from £496,280 in 2007-08 to £249,758 in 2011-12.
	
		
			 Service 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Press cuttings Precise Precise Precise Precise Precise 
			      Durrants 
			       
			 PA Press Association Press Association Press Association Press Association Press Association 
			       
			 Media monitoring Media Monitoring Unit (Cabinet Office) Media Monitoring Unit (Cabinet Office) Media Monitoring Unit (Cabinet Office) Media Monitoring Unit (Cabinet Office) Media Monitoring Unit (Cabinet Office) 
			   TNS TNS TNS  
		
	
	The contract for press cuttings changed in 2011-12 from Precise to Durrants. This was due to a cross-government exercise led by the Cabinet Office.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 13 February 2012 with regard to Mr M Ali.

Damian Green: I refer the right hon. Member to my letter of 26 March 2012.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to answer the letter sent to the Minister for Immigration by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 20 February with regard to Mr Ali Baba Akbhari.

Damian Green: I refer the right hon. Member to my letter of 14 March 2012.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to answer the letter sent to her by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 21 February with regard to Ms Isatou Jagne.

Damian Green: I refer the right hon. Member to my letter of 27 March 2012.

Migration Advisory Committee

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the triennial review of the Migration Advisory Committee to be completed.

Damian Green: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), announced on 27 March 2012, Official Report, columns 128-9WS, that she will announce the findings of the review later this year. An exact date has not yet been set.

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to bring forward proposals to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 to permit senior nurses to (a) carry and (b) prescribe controlled drugs.

James Brokenshire: The statutory instrument implementing changes to enable nurse independent prescribers, together with pharmacist independent preservers, to prescribe all controlled drugs listed in schedules 2 to 5 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 within their competence, was laid in Parliament on 30 March. The instrument also authorises nurse and pharmacist independent prescribers to possess, supply, offer to supply, administer and requisition the specified drugs. The changes will come into effect on 23 April.

Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the merits of relocating the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner.

Damian Green: The role and purpose of the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) was reviewed in 2011 as part of the wider Public Bodies Review, and it was concluded that the regulation of immigration advice and services was best delivered by retaining the OISC. As part of that process the Home Office carried out a preliminary assessment of options for the OISC and considered the potential savings associated with relocating the OISC outside London. The assessment carried out identified that there were potential savings from relocating, but as a high proportion of the businesses regulated by the OISC are in London and the South East the additional costs created by the move would not make relocation a cost-effective proposal. The additional expenditure incurred by the OISC staff undertaking audits of businesses and carrying out other activities associated with the regulation of immigration advisers would offset any savings made.
	The lease on the OISC's central London offices expires in September 2013 and a new location for the OISC is being identified because of this. The Home Office is working with the OISC to identify cheaper premises and reduce accommodation costs. The new premises will be in the London area and there are no plans to relocate to a different area of the country.

Police: Manpower

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in each basic command unit in each police force area in England and Wales on (a) 31 March 2010 and (b) 31 March 2011.

Nick Herbert: The latest available information shows the full-time equivalent number of police officer strength by basic command unit, as at 31 March 2010 and 31 March 2011, within each police force area in England and Wales. These figures can be seen within the tables.
	
		
			 Police officer strength by basic command unit, 31 March 2010 (1) 
			 Full-time equivalents 
			 Police force BCU Police officers 
			 Avon and Somerset Bath and North East Somerset 226 
			  Bristol 933 
			  North Somerset 238 
			  Somerset East 287 
			  Somerset West 316 
			  South Gloucester 282 
			  Central Services 1,018 
			 Total  3,301 
			    
			 Bedfordshire Bedfordshire County 451 
			  Luton 350 
			  Central Services 446 
			 Total  1,246 
			    
			 Cambridgeshire Central 308 
			  Northern 315 
			  Southern 353 
			  Central Services 496 
			 Total  1,471 
			    
			 Cheshire Eastern Cheshire 494 
			  Northern Cheshire 515 
			  Western Cheshire 481 
			  Central Services 666 
			 Total  2,155 
			    
			 Cleveland Hartlepool 198 
		
	
	
		
			  Langbaurgh (Redcar and Cleveland) 240 
			  Middlesbrough 314 
			  Stockton 287 
			  Central Services 686 
			 Total  1,724 
			    
			 Cumbria Barrow and Kendal 303 
			  Carlisle and Penrith 300 
			  Workington and Whitehaven 298 
			  Central Services 337 
			 Total  1,238 
			    
			 Derbyshire Alfreton 296 
			  Buxton 255 
			  Chesterfield 341 
			  Derby 471 
			  Central Services 711 
			 Total  2,074 
			    
			 Devon and Cornwall Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly 753 
			  Devon 1,221 
			  Plymouth 562 
			  Central Services 1,019 
			 Total  3,556 
			    
			 Dorset Bournemouth and Poole 481 
			  Dorset County 420 
			  Central Services 585 
			 Total  1,486 
			    
			 Durham North Durham 560 
			  South Durham 538 
			  Central Services 409 
			 Total  1,507 
			    
			 Essex Essex Central 545 
			  Essex Eastern 435 
			  Essex South Eastern 502 
			  Essex South Western 563 
			  Essex Western 438 
			  Stansted Airport 93 
			  Central Services 1,029 
			 Total  3,606 
			    
			 Gloucestershire Cheltenham and Tewkesbury 273 
			  Cotswold and Stroud 243 
			  Forest and Gloucester 324 
			  Central Services 469 
			 Total  1,309 
		
	
	
		
			    
			 Greater Manchester Bolton 527 
			  Bury 323 
			  Metropolitan 541 
			  North Manchester 734 
			  Oldham 440 
			  Rochdale 426 
			  Salford 580 
			  South Manchester 435 
			  Stockport 477 
			  Tameside 420 
			  Trafford 411 
			  Wigan 457 
			  Manchester Airport 121 
			  Central Services 2,256 
			 Total  8,148 
			    
			 Hampshire Central Hants 599 
			  Isle of Wight 217 
			  North and East Hampshire 564 
			  Portsmouth 398 
			  Southampton 485 
			  West Hampshire 501 
			  Central Services 983 
			 Total  3,748 
			    
			 Hertfordshire Hertfordshire Central 480 
			  Hertfordshire Eastern 558 
			  Hertfordshire Western 456 
			  Central Services 636 
			 Total  2,130 
			    
			 Humberside East Riding of Yorkshire 382 
			  Kingston upon Hull 575 
			  North East Lincolnshire 240 
			  North Lincolnshire 281 
			  Central Services 579 
			 Total  2,058 
			    
			 Kent East Kent 445 
			  Medway 419 
			  Mid Kent 441 
			  North Kent 391 
			  South Kent 516 
			  West Kent 413 
			  Central Services 1,160 
			 Total  3,787 
			    
			 Lancashire Lancashire Central 378 
			  Lancashire Eastern 570 
		
	
	
		
			  Lancashire Northern 426 
			  Lancashire Southern 477 
			  Lancashire Western 522 
			  Pennine 560 
			  Central Services 717 
			 Total  3,649 
			    
			 Leicestershire Leicestershire City 734 
			  North Leicestershire 424 
			  South Leicestershire 385 
			  Central Services 774 
			 Total  2,317 
			    
			 Lincolnshire East Lincolnshire 266 
			  South Lincolnshire 234 
			  West Lincolnshire 358 
			  Central Services 349 
			 Total  1,206 
			    
			 London, City of City of London Police 308 
			  Central Services 544 
			 Total  852 
			    
			 Merseyside Knowsley 397 
			  North Liverpool 866 
			  Sefton 477 
			  South Liverpool 491 
			  St Helens 351 
			  Wirral 587 
			  Central Services 1,348 
			 Total  4,516 
			    
			 Metropolitan Police Barking and Dagenham 448 
			  Barnet 596 
			  Bexley 406 
			  Brent 712 
			  Bromley 524 
			  Camden 889 
			  City of Westminster 1,656 
			  Croydon 755 
			  Ealing 728 
			  Enfield 601 
			  Greenwich 711 
			  Hackney 784 
			  Hammersmith and Fulham 600 
			  Haringey 734 
			  Harrow 404 
			  Havering 395 
			  Hillingdon 526 
			  Hounslow 540 
			  Islington 719 
		
	
	
		
			  Kensington and Chelsea 579 
			  Kingston upon Thames 337 
			  Lambeth 1,042 
			  Lewisham 691 
			  Merton 396 
			  Newham 826 
			  Redbridge 502 
			  Richmond upon Thames 335 
			  Southwark 964 
			  Sutton 356 
			  Tower Hamlets 829 
			  Waltham Forest 578 
			  Wandsworth 619 
			  Heathrow 461 
			  Central Services 12,126 
			 Total  33,367 
			    
			 Norfolk Norfolk County 898 
			  Central Services 765 
			 Total  1,662 
			    
			 Northamptonshire Northants North 440 
			  Northants West 510 
			  Central Services 393 
			 Total  1,343 
			    
			 Northumbria Gateshead 427 
			  Newcastle 819 
			  North Tyneside 367 
			  Northumberland 556 
			  South Tyneside 326 
			  Sunderland 632 
			  Central Services 1,060 
			 Total  4,187 
			    
			 North Yorkshire North Yorkshire Central 399 
			  North Yorkshire Eastern 361 
			  North Yorkshire Western 376 
			  Central Services 350 
			 Total  1,486 
			    
			 Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire Area A 305 
			  Nottinghamshire Area B 292 
			  Nottinghamshire Area C 763 
			  Nottinghamshire Area D 328 
			  Central Services 721 
			 Total  2,409 
		
	
	
		
			    
			 South Yorkshire Barnsley 361 
			  Doncaster 478 
			  Rotherham 362 
			  Sheffield 925 
			  Central Services 827 
			 Total  2,953 
			    
			 Staffordshire Chase 381 
			  North Staffordshire 277 
			  Stoke on Trent 529 
			  Trent Valley 388 
			  Central Services 586 
			 Total  2,160 
			    
			 Suffolk Suffolk Eastern 471 
			  Suffolk Western 335 
			  Central Services 440 
			 Total  1,246 
			    
			 Surrey East Surrey 424 
			  North Surrey 370 
			  West Surrey 520 
			  Central Services 576 
			 Total  1,890 
			    
			 Sussex Brighton and Hove 484 
			  East Sussex 691 
			  North Downs 402 
			  West Downs 532 
			  Gatwick 252 
			  Central Services 853 
			 Total  3,213 
			    
			 Thames Valley Berkshire East 670 
			  Berkshire West 677 
			  Buckinghamshire 628 
			  Milton Keynes 406 
			  Oxfordshire 908 
			  Central Services 1,145 
			 Total  4,434 
			    
			 Warwickshire Warwickshire 460 
			  Central Services 513 
			 Total  973 
			    
			 West Mercia Hereford 265 
			  North Worcestershire 468 
			  Shropshire 390 
			  South Worcestershire 406 
			  Telford and the Wrekin 317 
			  Central Services 546 
		
	
	
		
			 Total  2,391 
			    
			 West Midlands Solihull 404 
			  West Midlands D1 392 
			  West Midlands D2 337 
			  West Midlands D3 399 
			  West Midlands E1 336 
			  West Midlands E2 300 
			  West Midlands E3 313 
			  West Midlands F1 374 
			  West Midlands F2 304 
			  West Midlands F3 335 
			  West Midlands G1 346 
			  West Midlands G2 324 
			  West Midlands H1 305 
			  West Midlands H2 334 
			  West Midlands J1 298 
			  West Midlands J2 258 
			  West Midlands K1 335 
			  West Midlands K2 384 
			  West Midlands M1 309 
			  West Midlands M2 252 
			  West Midlands M3 265 
			  Central Services 1,721 
			 Total  8,626 
			    
			 West Yorkshire Airedale and North Bradford 417 
			  Bradford South 558 
			  Calderdale 365 
			  City and Holbeck 467 
			  Kirklees 663 
			  North East Leeds 545 
			  North West Leeds 523 
			  Wakefield 583 
			  Central Services 1,638 
			 Total  5,759 
			    
			 Wiltshire Swindon 281 
			  Wiltshire County 467 
			  Central Services 433 
			 Total  1,181 
			    
			 Dyfed-Powys Carmarthenshire 350 
			  Ceredigion 156 
			  Pembrokeshire 246 
			  Powys 261 
			  Central Services 183 
			 Total  1,195 
			    
			 Gwent Gwent Police BCU 1,437 
			  Central Services 0 
			 Total  1,437 
		
	
	
		
			    
			 North Wales North Wales Central 338 
			  North Wales Eastern 423 
			  North Wales Western 356 
			  Central Services 473 
			 Total  1,590 
			    
			 South Wales Bridgend 188 
			  South Wales Eastern 645 
			  South Wales Northern 450 
			  Neath and Port Talbot 192 
			  Swansea 391 
			  Vale of Glamorgan 171 
			  Central Services 1,112 
			 Total  3,148 
			    
			 Total of 43 forces  143,734 
			 (1) These figures are based on full-time equivalents that have been rounded to the nearest whole number, due to rounding there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of constituent items. Figures include those officers on career breaks. 
		
	
	
		
			 Police officer strength by basic command unit, 31 March 2011 (1) 
			 Full-time equivalents 
			 Police force BCU Police officers 
			 Avon and Somerset Bath and North East Somerset 231 
			  Bristol 964 
			  North Somerset 237 
			  Somerset East 291 
			  Somerset West 310 
			  South Gloucester 280 
			  Central Services 897 
			 Total  3,210 
			    
			 Bedfordshire Bedfordshire County 421 
			  Luton 306 
			  Central Services 487 
			 Total  1,214 
			    
			 Cambridgeshire Central 300 
			  Northern 305 
			  Southern 329 
			  Central Services 464 
			 Total  1,398 
			    
			 Cheshire Eastern Cheshire 479 
			  Northern Cheshire 512 
			  Western Cheshire 492 
			  Central Services 596 
			 Total  2,079 
			    
			 Cleveland Hartlepool 194 
		
	
	
		
			  Langbaurgh (Redcar and Cleveland) 235 
			  Middlesbrough 308 
			  Stockton 285 
			  Central Services 633 
			 Total  1,655 
			    
			 Cumbria Barrow and Kendal 292 
			  Carlisle and Penrith 283 
			  Workington and Whitehaven 286 
			  Central Services 319 
			 Total  1,180 
			    
			 Derbyshire Buxton (B Division) 251 
			  Chesterfield (C Division) 475 
			  Derby (D Division) 620 
			  Central Services 674 
			 Total  2,021 
			    
			 Devon and Cornwall Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly 720 
			  Devon 1,169 
			  Plymouth 545 
			  Central Services 1,003 
			 Total  3,436 
			    
			 Dorset (2) Bournemouth and Poole — 
			  Dorset County — 
			  Central Services — 
			 Total  1,452 
			    
			 Durham North Durham 537 
			  South Durham 516 
			  Central Services 378 
			 Total  1,431 
			    
			 Essex Essex Central 521 
			  Essex Eastern 435 
			  Essex South Eastern 491 
			  Essex South Western 567 
			  Essex Western 423 
			  Stansted Airport 91 
			  Central Services 1,049 
			 Total  3,577 
			    
			 Gloucestershire Cheltenham and Tewkesbury 251 
			  Cotswold and Stroud 216 
			  Forest and Gloucs 303 
			  Central Services 492 
			 Total  1,262 
			    
			 Greater Manchester Bolton 515 
		
	
	
		
			  Bury 314 
			  Manchester Airport 103 
			  Metropolitan 525 
			  North Manchester 709 
			  Oldham 423 
			  Rochdale 421 
			  Salford 556 
			  South Manchester 422 
			  Stockport 452 
			  Tameside 408 
			  Trafford 403 
			  Wigan 459 
			  Central Services 2,081 
			 Total  7,791 
			    
			 Hampshire Central Hants 579 
			  Isle of Wight 213 
			  North and East Hampshire 545 
			  Portsmouth 401 
			  Southampton 484 
			  Western Hampshire 498 
			  Central Services 937 
			 Total  3,658 
			    
			 Hertfordshire Hertfordshire LPU 1,591 
			  Central Services 457 
			 Total  2,048 
			    
			 Humberside East Riding of Yorkshire 372 
			  Kingston upon Hull 545 
			  North East Lincolnshire 266 
			  North Lincolnshire 236 
			  Central Services 534 
			 Total  1,952 
			    
			 Kent East Kent 458 
			  Medway 422 
			  Mid Kent 443 
			  North Kent 395 
			  South Kent 526 
			  West Kent 425 
			  Central Services 999 
			 Total  3,668 
			    
			 Lancashire Lancashire Central 359 
			  Lancashire Eastern 544 
			  Lancashire Northern 389 
			  Lancashire Southern 452 
			  Lancashire Western 490 
			  Pennine 520 
			  Central Services 694 
		
	
	
		
			 Total  3,448 
			    
			 Leicestershire Leics City 574 
			  North Leics 352 
			  South Leicestershire 292 
			  Central Services 993 
			 Total  2,211 
			    
			 Lincolnshire East Lincolnshire 257 
			  South Lincolnshire 250 
			  West Lincolnshire 362 
			  Central Services 333 
			 Total  1,202 
			    
			 London, City of City of London Police 317 
			  Central Services 561 
			 Total  878 
			    
			 Merseyside Knowsley 384 
			  North Liverpool 840 
			  Sefton 470 
			  South Liverpool 470 
			  St Helens 334 
			  Wirral 569 
			  Central Services 1,230 
			 Total  4,297 
			    
			 Metropolitan Police Barking and Dagenham 443 
			  Barnet 585 
			  Bexley 400 
			  Brent 682 
			  Bromley 511 
			  Camden 831 
			  City of Westminster 1,586 
			  Croydon 736 
			  Ealing 697 
			  Enfield 580 
			  Greenwich 669 
			  Hackney 771 
			  Hammersmith and Fulham 574 
			  Haringey 708 
			  Harrow 392 
			  Havering 387 
			  Hillingdon 540 
			  Hounslow 522 
			  Islington 713 
			  Kensington and Chelsea 565 
			  Kingston upon Thames 321 
			  Lambeth 1,004 
			  Lewisham 657 
		
	
	
		
			  Merton 392 
			  Newham 805 
			  Redbridge 486 
			  Richmond upon Thames 307 
			  Southwark 933 
			  Sutton 344 
			  Tower Hamlets 793 
			  Waltham Forest 556 
			  Wandsworth 608 
			  Heathrow 435 
			  Central Services 11,907 
			 Total  32,441 
			    
			 Norfolk Norfolk County 1,091 
			  Central Services 507 
			 Total  1,598 
			    
			 Northamptonshire Northants North 0 
			  Northants West 0 
			  Central Services 1,306 
			 Total  1,306 
			    
			 Northumbria Gateshead 413 
			  Newcastle 800 
			  North Tyneside 353 
			  Northumberland 544 
			  South Tyneside 319 
			  Sunderland 627 
			  Central Services 1,047 
			 Total  4,102 
			    
			 North Yorkshire North Yorkshire County 1,369 
			  Central Services 90 
			 Total  1,458 
			    
			 Nottinghamshire Nottingham City 739 
			  Nottinghamshire Area A 310 
			  Nottinghamshire Area B 283 
			  Nottinghamshire Area D 331 
			  Central Services 656 
			 Total  2,319 
			    
			 South Yorkshire Barnsley 360 
			  Doncaster 472 
			  Rotherham 356 
			  Sheffield 927 
			  Central Services 774 
			 Total  2,888 
			    
			 Staffordshire Chase 356 
		
	
	
		
			  North Staffordshire 259 
			  Stoke on Trent 491 
			  Trent Valley 361 
			  Central Services 612 
			 Total  2,079 
			    
			 Suffolk Suffolk County 806 
			  Central Services 438 
			 Total  1,244 
			    
			 Surrey Surrey County 1,639 
			  Central Services 246 
			 Total  1,885 
			    
			 Sussex Brighton and Hove 450 
			  East Sussex 685 
			  North Downs 400 
			  West Downs 536 
			  Gatwick 224 
			  Central Services 807 
			 Total  3,102 
			    
			 Thames Valley Berkshire East 654 
			  Berkshire West 689 
			  Buckinghamshire 618 
			  Milton Keynes 398 
			  Oxfordshire 920 
			  Central Services 1,096 
			 Total  4,375 
			    
			 Warwickshire Warwickshire Police BCU 443 
			  Central Services 476 
			 Total  919 
			    
			 West Mercia Hereford (E Division) 232 
			  North Worcestershire (D Division) 425 
			  Shropshire (F Division) 353 
			  South Worcestershire (C Division) 381 
			  Telford and the Wrekin (G Division) 286 
			  Central Services 575 
			 Total  2,251 
			    
			 West Midlands Birmingham East 689 
			  Birmingham North 390 
			  Birmingham South 599 
			  Birmingham West and Central 633 
			  Coventry 600 
			  Dudley 449 
			  Sandwell 565 
		
	
	
		
			  Solihull 325 
			  Walsall 484 
			  Wolverhampton 508 
			  Central Services 2,907 
			 Total  8,149 
			    
			 West Yorkshire Airedale and North Bradford 390 
			  Bradford South 515 
			  Calderdale 345 
			  City and Holbeck 448 
			  Kirklees 621 
			  North East Leeds 530 
			  North West Leeds 488 
			  Wakefield 554 
			  Central Services 1,645 
			 Total  5,537 
			    
			 Wiltshire Swindon 259 
			  Wiltshire County 435 
			  Central Services 405 
			 Total  1,099 
			    
			 Dyfed-Powys Carmarthenshire 330 
			  Ceredigion 146 
			  Pembrokeshire 220 
			  Powys 250 
			  Central Services 212 
			 Total  1,157 
			    
			 Gwent Gwent Police BCU 1,501 
			  Central Services 0 
			 Total  1,501 
			    
			 North Wales North Wales Central 330 
			  North Wales Eastern 405 
			  North Wales Western 330 
			  Central Services 464 
			 Total  1,529 
			    
			 South Wales South Wales Central 371 
			  South Wales Eastern 648 
			  South Wales Northern 449 
			  South Wales Western 580 
			  Central Services 1,051 
			 Total  3,100 
			    
			 Total of 43 forces  139,109 
			 (1) These figures are based on full-time equivalents that have been rounded to the nearest whole number, due to rounding there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of constituent items. Figures include those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. (2) As the force was restructured and BCUs redefined part way through the period this data is not available.

Police: Voluntary Organisations

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect of changes in police funding on the relationship the police have with the voluntary sector and the NHS.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 15 March 2012
	The Home Office is working closely with the Department of Health to ensure that partnership working continues between the NHS and the police.
	The Home Office has also provided £10 million through the Communication Action Against Crime: Innovation Fund to support local crime reduction projects and strengthen relationships between the voluntary sector and the police.

Proceeds of Crime: EU Action

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the UK has fully enacted the provisions of EU Council Framework Decision 2005/212/JHA; and what assessment her Department has made of its effectiveness in dealing with the confiscation of crime- related proceeds.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 26 March 2012
	In respect of serious, habitual criminals, the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 has an effective scheme for the confiscation, not only of the proceeds of an instant conviction, but also the entire illegitimate wealth derived from crime. This accords with the extended confiscation regime set down by this framework decision. Extended confiscation is an important aspect of our asset recovery regime and the Government continually review all tools available to them for seizing the proceeds of crime.

Procurement

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts her Department had with (a) Capita and (b) Serco in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The Home Department including its executive agencies held three contracts with Capita and eight contracts with Serco in the last 12 months.

Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to implement proposals for reform of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964.

James Brokenshire: The Government amendment to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill to tackle metal theft is still subject to parliamentary scrutiny.
	We continue to consider steps for broader reform of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964. The proposals will be implemented as soon as practicable following Royal Assent.

Theft: Metals

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether itinerant dealers will be exempt from legislation to ban the cash trade in scrap metal.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 19 March 2012
	All scrap metal dealers, whether or not they are itinerant, will be prohibited from using cash.

Theft: Metals

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the efficacy of current border arrangements for (a) detecting and (b) seizing stolen scrap metal passing through UK border controls.

Damian Green: Border Force is the lead law enforcement body at the border with a unique position in protecting the United Kingdom from criminal activity, terrorism threats, revenue, customs and immigration offending, while facilitating legitimate travellers and trade. Its targeting operation works closely with other law enforcement agencies to inform detection at the border including stolen goods. In the event of detection the matter is referred to the relevant agency for appropriate action.

Theft: Metals

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many itinerant collectors were operating in the UK in the last three years; how many of these (a) were registered under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 (SMDA), (b) had record keeping exemptions under section 3.1 of the SMDA and (c) had applied for and maintained a waste carrier's licence in that period; and how many inspections of itinerants' records maintained either under section 2 or section 3 of the SMDA have been carried out by the relevant authorities in the last three years.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 26 March 2012
	There is no accurate information available on the total number of itinerant collectors operating in the UK. Information relating to both the registration under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 and section 3(1) orders for itinerant collectors, is held and maintained by the relevant local authorities rather than centrally.
	While the Environment Agency maintains a central record of Waste Carrier Licence applications, the information cannot be broken down to identify itinerant collectors against other businesses.

Theft: Metals

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons itinerant collectors are exempted from a proposed ban on cash payments for scrap metal.

James Brokenshire: The only exemption will be for those itinerant collectors who have registered with their local authority and also been granted an order under Section 3(1) of the 1964 Scrap Metal Dealers Act. The Section 3(1) order was intended to spare very small local businesses from some of the record-keeping requirements the Act places on larger dealers, and can be granted only by the local authority in consultation with the chief police officer. As enforcement of the new offence of cash payment will be reliant on those record-keeping requirements, including the additional requirement inserted by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, it is appropriate that those who are currently exempt from those requirements are also exempt from the new offence. However, by definition these itinerant collectors have no capacity to process scrap metal, and will need to sell whatever they collect to a dealer who is subject to the new offence.
	We will work with the Local Government Association and Association of Chief Police Officers on advice for local authorities and police forces on enforcement of the requirements of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act and the criteria for issuing any new Section 3(1) orders.

Theft: Metals

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward the date for the completion of the review of the offence of buying scrap metal for cash.

James Brokenshire: We will review the impact of the proposed new offence after five years, in line with current guidance on new regulation. In the interim, we will be monitoring the effectiveness of this measure as part of our ongoing efforts to reduce metal theft and strengthen the licensing regime for scrap metal dealers. As part of this we will be reviewing the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964.

Theft: Metals

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish the risk assessment prepared by her Department in respect of the decision to exclude itinerant metal dealers from its proposed ban on cash trade in scrap metal.

James Brokenshire: All scrap metal dealers, whether or not they are itinerant, will be prohibited from using cash.

Tigers

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with Interpol about the communication of nominal criminal intelligence at international level to facilitate enforcement operations against the illegal trade in tiger products in source and transit countries.

James Brokenshire: The National Wildlife Crime Unit works closely with the Serious Organised Crime Agency in respect of sharing intelligence relating to international investigations into the illegal trade in tiger parts and derivatives. Intelligence is passed via the National Central Bureaux to Interpol and where appropriate to overseas partners in line with agreed protocols.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts Vodafone has been awarded by her Department in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The Home Office including its executive agencies has awarded one contract to Vodafone in the last 12 months.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contracts her Department has with Vodafone.

Damian Green: The Home Department including its executive agencies holds one contract with Vodafone for the provision of mobile voice and data telecommunications services.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Permanent Secretary in her Department has met Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Storage

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she expects to provide grant aid in the event that the storage of silage, slurry and fuel oil derogation is removed.

Richard Benyon: The Government's consultation on implementation of the Nitrates Directive and possible changes to the Protection of Water (Slurry, Silage and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations 2010 closed on 16 March. Responses are now being analysed, and the Government's response is expected to be published in late May.
	It is the Government's long-standing policy not to subsidise businesses to comply with legal requirements. However, under the Capital Allowances Act 2001, agricultural businesses are entitled to make use of the annual investment allowance. This enables businesses to claim full tax relief, up to £25,000 of capital expenditure, on most plant and machinery expenditure in the year it is incurred, and this includes capital works on silage and slurry stores.
	In addition, assistance is available for the construction of some storage-related infrastructure. Where it operates, grants of 50% of the capital costs of a wide range of works, up to a limit of £10,000, are available under the Catchment Sensitive Farming Initiative. Eligible works include ancillary structures, such as roofs over silage and slurry stores, but not construction of the stores themselves.
	There are also grants of up to £25,000 available under the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme. Similar to the Catchment Sensitive Farming Initiative, these grants are not available for construction of storage itself, but can be used for ancillary works such as covers for slurry stores which, by keeping out rainwater, can reduce the cost of the store by reducing the volume of storage needed.

Air Pollution: Greater London

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the Mayor of London's compliance with the requirement to issue pollution alerts.

Richard Benyon: The legal requirement to issue pollution alerts rests with the Secretary of State (under regulation 21 of the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010) rather than the Mayor of London. The Secretary of State has a duty to inform the public by means of radio, television, newspapers or the internet if information thresholds for sulphur dioxide nitrogen dioxide and ozone (as set out in schedule 5 to the regulations) are exceeded. The Secretary of State provides online information to the public on current and forecasted air quality at:
	http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk
	at all times, and this meets the requirements of this duty. In addition, a freephone service is available.
	DEFRA has also undertaken to issue a press release when the first ozone episode occurs each year. This is to draw attention to the online information services available and remind the public of where to find more details. The decision on whether to issue a press notice is reviewed each year.
	In addition to this, the Mayor of London has voluntarily promoted a pioneering new airTEXT service whereby people living in London can get free text, email or voicemail alerts of elevated levels about air pollution.

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of the closure of Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency facilities on the economies of local rural areas.

James Paice: No formal impact assessment was carried out. Closure of some of Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency’s facilities was purely an operational delivery issue which, as such, did not require policy or regulatory change.
	The reorganisation will enable savings of approximately £2.5 million per annum.

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2011, Official Report, column 899W, on Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA); what assessment she has made of the effect of the closure of AHVLA facilities on the transport of animal samples; and what assessment she has made of the risk that transport times will cause sample deterioration.

James Paice: AHVLA has confirmed that it will continue to deliver the whole range of testing currently required and that such tests will continue to be performed to the ISO17025 quality standard. AHVLA also understands the concerns of those using the service about deterioration in transport of those samples collected from post-mortem material at sites which will no longer have laboratory testing facilities. AHVLA will continue to investigate solutions to mitigate these risks. The introduction of portable incubators, put in place this month, is one method of ensuring that sample deterioration is kept to a minimum.
	AHVLA is working in collaboration with the incubator manufacturer and designers of a custom-made flight case, so that the end product is safe, effective and resilient in routine use. AHVLA will continue to monitor the use of the incubators when they are in use to ensure that they provide the same temperature and the same atmosphere as a static laboratory incubator.
	A large proportion of samples received by AHVLA (approximately 50% across the network) are already transported by mail. It should also be noted that the majority of samples tested at the surveillance centres at the university of London and Liverpool, are received by post and since October 2010, the majority of samples tested arising from post-mortems carried out at AHVLA Thirsk regional laboratory have been tested by AHVLA Newcastle regional laboratory.

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which tests will be retained at post-mortem Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency sites.

James Paice: The following tests which will be retained alongside post-mortems are:
	Smear—staining and microscopic examination (includes Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, Q Fever and Brucella);
	Anthrax diagnosis;
	Detection of acid alcohol fast bacilli (mycobacteria);
	Wet preparation—microscopic exam for motile protozoa;
	Worm count—sample is sent to a remote lab either pre- or post-sieving for quantitative count and ID of parasites; and
	Worm egg count.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what scientific evidence she has received that a vaccination would reduce or eliminate the transmission of tuberculosis from badgers to cattle.

James Paice: While we would expect badger vaccination to result in reduced transmission of TB to cattle, we currently have no direct experimental evidence on this. Computer modelling has indicated that sustained badger vaccination campaigns could be beneficial in lowering TB incidence in cattle and that vaccination could be used in combination with culling to increase the benefits in terms of cattle incidence compared to culling alone. While such models can contribute to our understanding of the benefits vaccination could provide, the results vary depending on the assumptions used and cannot be considered conclusive, and there is no guarantee that these results will be realised.

Catering

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on complimentary refreshments for (a) staff and (b) visitors in the latest period for which figures are available.

Richard Benyon: To provide this information would incur disproportionate costs.

Civil Servants: Codes of Practice

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many investigations into breaches by civil servants of the Civil Service Code of Conduct occurred in her Department in each month from May 2010 to March 2012.

Richard Benyon: During the period between May 2010 and March 2012 there have not been any investigations into breaches of the Civil Service Code of Conduct by civil servants employed by core DEFRA.

Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the renegotiation of the Gothenburg Protocol on long-range transboundary air pollution.

Richard Benyon: The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Gothenburg Protocol is one of the few international instruments through which transboundary air pollution from beyond EU borders can be addressed. For the protocol to be effective it needs to be ratified and then implemented by non-EU parties, and to date this has not happened. The key EU aim for the renegotiation of the Gothenburg Protocol is therefore to reduce the environmental and human health impacts of transboundary air pollution by agreeing a protocol that can be widely ratified by all parties. The UK fully supports this approach.

Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000

Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward the 2026 deadline set out in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Richard Benyon: In ‘The Natural Choice: securing the value of nature’, the Government's natural environment White Paper, we announced plans to consult on simplifying and streamlining the processes for recording and making changes to public rights of way, based on proposals made by Natural England's Stakeholder Working Group on unrecorded rights of way in its report, ‘Stepping Forward’.
	Proposal one of the ‘Stepping Forward’ report makes it clear that bringing into force the 2026 cut-off is an integral part of the wider package of recommendations from the group and that pre-1949 rights of way should be extinguished if they are unrecorded at the cut-off date, subject to the group's other recommendations.
	We intend to issue a consultation document, including this and the group's other proposals, shortly.

Departmental Responsibilities

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to publish an updated list of ministerial meetings.

Richard Benyon: An updated list of ministerial meetings has been published, and is available on DEFRA's transparency webpage:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/ministers/transparency/

Fisheries: Hartlepool

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to ensure that the inshore under 10 metre fleet in Hartlepool is able to obtain additional foundation quota of appropriate species; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: Work is currently under way to reform the fisheries management arrangements in England, with the long-term aim of securing a more profitable, sustainable and unified fishing industry, and specifically seeking to tackle some of the difficulties currently facing the English under-10 metre fleet.
	Three voluntary pilot quota management groups are to go ahead to test the impact of a more local approach to quota management for the under-10 metre fleet. These will be based in the ports of Lowestoft, West Mersea and Ramsgate. The proposed Hartlepool group decided not to go forward with the quota management approach but are considering working together for marketing and development purposes with the continued support of a coastal liaison officer, appointed for the period of the pilot projects with European fisheries fund funding.
	The results from the pilots will contribute to decisions on the final reform package.
	To ensure a higher utilisation of the UK's annual quota allocation, the under-10 metre pool will be boosted this year by a realignment of quota which has been consistently unused by English producer organisations at the end of every one of the four years from 2007-10. We will make a permanent transfer of the fixed quota allocations (FQAs) associated with this quota to the under-10 metre pool from 2013.

Flowers

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on (a) cut flowers and (b) pot plants between May 2010 and February 2012.

Richard Benyon: The total expenditure incurred by the Department on internal flowers and pot plants across all core-DEFRA buildings between May 2010 and February 2012 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 (a) Cut flowers 2,917.20 
			 (b) Pot plants 59,035.02 
		
	
	This includes supply, maintenance and replacement.
	The expenditure was part of the facilities management contract which commenced on 1 April 2009 for a period of 15 years.
	DEFRA will no longer incur this cost as the contractor has agreed to remove this service from the contract for the remaining term.

Food: Labelling

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the animal welfare standards of red tractor food labelling in comparison with (a) the Soil Association Organic Standard, (b) RSPCA Freedom Food and (c) other food labelling systems.

James Paice: None. Food assurance schemes are voluntary arrangements through which consumers and businesses along the food chain are provided with assurance that food has been produced to certain standards. Scheme standards are set by the appropriate ownership body, as are the requirements for monitoring compliance.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Business

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she expects a decision will be reached on her Department's preferred option for the measuring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions by UK companies before the Rio+20 summit in June 2012; whether she plans to discuss company reporting at Rio+20; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the right hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), will make a statement when a decision has been reached which I would expect to be before the Rio +20 summit.
	The Secretary of State will be discussing company reporting at Rio +20, as one of our priorities is to improve sustainability reporting by companies.

Horse Passports

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to publish the outcome of her Department's review of the horse passport scheme; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: DEFRA has recently concluded its review of the National Equine Database (NED) (the UK's central register of horse passports issued by passport issuing organisations). As a result, an invitation to tender for a UK-wide central equine database has been issued, which is due to close on 20 April; the terms are broadly similar to the current NED contract, which expires at the end of September 2012. Following an assessment of all bids, including a cost-benefit analysis, a decision will be taken later this year on whether to continue to operate a central equine database. In the meantime, NED continues to operate and data remains available to enforcement bodies such as local authorities.

Infrastructure and Environment Unit

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to establish the Major Infrastructure and Environment Unit; and what additional resources will be made available to support the new unit.

Richard Benyon: The Major Infrastructure and Environment Unit will be established in April 2012. It is expected to have up to eight staff from DEFRA and other parts of Government.
	The terms of reference for the unit are available on the DEFRA website.

Low Emission Zones: Greater London

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many fines have been levied for breaches of the Euro 4 emission standard in London's Low Emission Zone in 2012 to date;
	(2)  what steps she is taking in response to breaches of emission requirements under the Low Emission Zone in London;
	(3)  how many fines have been levied for breaches of the Euro 3 emission standard for light duty vehicles in London in 2012 to date.

Richard Benyon: The London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and is enforced by Transport for London (TfL). It is the world's largest city-wide LEZ and the Mayor has recently made compliance requirements more rigorous as part of broader strategy to improve air quality in London. Other measures include investment in hybrid buses, retiring the oldest most polluting taxis, delivering record investment in cycling and provision of charging points for electric vehicles via Source London. With financial support from the Government, the Mayor has also trialled a range of innovative measures, including the use of dust suppressants and green infrastructure, through his Clean Air Fund.
	TfL has issued over 21,500 Penalty Charge Notices to non-compliant vehicle operators since the scheme began in 2008.
	90% of affected vehicles observed driving in London now meet the required standard of Euro 4 for particulate matter, and 98% meet the required standard of Euro 3.

National Farmers Union

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when (a) she and (b) her Ministers last met representatives of the National Farmers Union; and what was discussed.

James Paice: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), last met with, and addressed, representatives of the National Farmers Union at their annual conference on 21 February, where discussions took place on a range of farming issues.
	The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for South East Cambridgeshire (Mr Paice), met with the President of the NFU on 26 March as part of the Green Food Project Steering Group where they discussed sustainable food production.
	The Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon), met with NFU Vice-President Gwyn Jones and Andrew Clark on 1 February to discuss biodiversity.
	The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my noble Friend Lord Taylor of Holbeach, met with NFU Vice President Adam Quinney at the Adapting to Climate Change High Level Representatives meeting on 22 March.

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on the regulatory burden on farmers of changes in nitrate-vulnerable zones.

James Paice: The current Action Programme for the implementation of the nitrates directive in England for the period 2008 to 2012 was accompanied by a regulatory impact assessment that included assessments of the regulatory burden on farmers.
	DEFRA is currently undertaking a review of the Action Programme that will operate from 1 January 2013 until December 2016. This review, which commenced on 16 December 2011, included a full public consultation and was accompanied by an impact assessment. The consultation was informed by the findings from the Task Force on Farming Regulation, which had made recommendations on how DEFRA may reduce the regulatory burden.
	DEFRA has undertaken a specific industry focused workshop aimed at developing further the practical responses received from the consultation. DEFRA is now working through the range of views in order to develop a Government response, which is expected in late May.

Organic Food

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2012, Official Report, column 550W, on organic food: families, what assessment she has made of the factors underlying declines in (a) organic food sales and (b) organically-farmed land in the UK.

James Paice: A number of factors may contribute to the decline in organic food sales in the UK. These include: consumers making savings on household spending; reduced supermarket shelf space for organic products which results in reduced choice and availability; and lack of investment by retailers in own-label organic ranges.
	Similarly, a number of factors may contribute to the decline in organically farmed land. These include: a reduction in the overall market for organic produce following the economic downturn; a fall in the premium that some farmers receive for organic produce; and a rise in the cost of organic inputs, such as feed.

Packaging: Recycling

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made on setting requirements for product packaging to ensure that all component parts of packaging can be recycled.

Richard Benyon: As part of the Waste Review, the Government committed to increase the percentage of recycled content used in packaging and to make packaging more recyclable. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), on behalf of Government, is working with industry to continue to improve the recyclability of certain types of packaging, for example by changing the additives used to colour milk bottle caps so that they don't affect the colour of the recycled material and can be more easily used in new milk bottles.
	Although the composition of packaging is primarily a business decision for the maker of the product, and is based on a consideration of various issues such as functionality, price, weight and health and safety, WRAP has developed guides to help producers make sustainable choices when specifying packaging formats.
	The UK operates a system of Producer Responsibility which makes producers of packaging responsible for ensuring that a proportion of the packaging they produce is recovered and recycled. In 2010 the UK recovered over 67% and recycled 60% of the 10.8 m tonnes of packaging placed on the UK market.

Procurement

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of contracts issued by (a) her Department and (b) agencies for which she is responsible were rewarded to small and medium-sized enterprises in the latest period for which figures are available.

Richard Benyon: This information is not held centrally in this format (i.e. according to company size) and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs. However, as part of the Government's transparency requirements, DEFRA and its agencies are currently working with the Cabinet Office to improve the data held on the status of each of our suppliers.

Rural Areas: Finance

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which measures announced in Budget 2012 will directly benefit rural areas; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The Government believe that the Budget will benefit all parts of the country, including rural areas, by promoting economic growth and helping businesses. Specific measures, such as the new approach to taxing small businesses and the extension of mobile coverage to 60,000 rural homes will be of direct benefit to rural areas. In addition, the locations of the five Rural Growth Network pilots, which will share funding of £15 million, were announced as part of the Budget. These will test different mechanisms by which Local Enterprise Partnerships and local authorities can support sustainable economic growth in rural areas.
	Each of these complement other measures arising from last year's Rural Economy Growth Review such as the £60 million Rural Economy Grant fund, launched in February 2012, to enable transformational business growth in rural areas, including rural tourism.

Rural Areas: Housing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of rural England is served by rural housing enablers funded by her Department.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA has not funded the rural housing enablers (RHEs) since 2008. From April 2005 to March 2008, DEFRA part-funded this scheme to allow a smooth transition to local authorities and other funding sources after the Countryside Agency withdrew from this area of work.
	The vision for the long-term funding of RHEs was that they should be supported at a local level by the same local authorities and housing associations whose rural delivery they exist to support. This reflects the Government’s desire to enable decisions about priorities to be taken at the local level in response to local needs.

Rural Areas: Mobile Phones

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that the Budget 2012 target to provide mobile telephone coverage to 60,000 rural households is achieved.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport.
	In October 2011, the Government announced £150 million in capital expenditure to improve mobile coverage and quality—known as the Mobile Infrastructure Project. This project is being run by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) within this Department. The budget announcement follows on from that initial announcement.
	This Department is working with other Government Departments, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with Ofcom and with industry to develop the most effective solution to extend mobile coverage to 60,000 rural homes and along at least 10 key roads. We are also engaging with the Devolved Administrations to ensure that local interests are taken into consideration. We expect to begin the procurement by spring 2012, and the project to be completed by 2015.

Schmallenberg Virus

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the cost effectiveness of mobile incubators in the diagnosis of (a) Schmallenberg virus and (b) other animal diseases.

James Paice: The portable incubators were put in place in late March 2012 and this is one method of ensuring that deterioration of samples destined for a number of different types of testing is kept to a minimum. The introduction of portable incubators will not impact on the £2.4 million per annum staff cost savings due to the reorganisation of the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA).
	The AHVLA detected Schmallenberg so quickly because of its strong European and international links. The Agency's scientific expertise is centralised at its main research site in Weybridge and a critical part of its surveillance capability in this case was the strong relationships that it has with veterinarians through species groups. None of these elements are affected by the current changes to laboratory testing. These measures will continue to ensure the robustness of testing and the AHVLA is confident there will be no decline in the quality of service, including the ability to test for emerging diseases such as Schmallenberg.

Schmallenberg Virus

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the risk of direct transmission of the Schmallenberg virus between animals.

James Paice: Schmallenberg virus is similar to some other animal disease pathogens, such as Akabane and Shamonda viruses, which are transmitted by vectors such as midges, mosquitoes and ticks. There is evidence from other viruses of this type that after infection, animals develop strong immunity and are unlikely to be infectious.

Schmallenberg Virus

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the likelihood of other countries placing import restrictions on British livestock products due to the Schmallenberg virus.

James Paice: The EU remains our major trading partner and there are no restrictions in place within EU trade. There are currently 18 countries outside the EU who have asked for additional measures or put in place bans on export of live ruminants and products of animal origin from countries affected by Schmallenberg virus or from the EU as a whole. The extent of these bans and the impact on UK exports is variable and the UK is working closely with industry, the Commission and other EU member states to address the issues. In particular, the EU Commission is hosting a seminar for countries outside the EU to explain what is known about the science and epidemiology of the disease. DEFRA is sending two experts.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding her Department gave to (a) the Stephen Lawrence Trust, (b) Magic Breakfast, (c) Barnados and (d) the Children's Society in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: There have been no DEFRA payments to any of the four entities in either of the periods 2010-11 or 2011-12.

Tigers: Conservation

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress reports the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species has received on the phasing out of tiger farms following the decision taken at the Conference of the Parties in 2008.

Richard Benyon: Two reports have been submitted to the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) with information on the phasing out of tiger farms. Both were supplied by China in 2009.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many contracts Vodafone has been awarded by her Department in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what contracts her Department has with Vodafone.

Richard Benyon: Core DEFRA has a single contract with Vodafone under the Government Procurement Services framework arrangement RM526/L1 for Mobile Solutions II. The current arrangement was entered into on 1 July 2011 and will expire on 30 June 2013.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times the Permanent Secretary in her Department has met Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA's Permanent Secretary has not met with any Vodafone representative in the last 12 months. The Permanent Secretary's meetings with external organisations are published quarterly online at:
	www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/management

Water

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the potential of using the inland waterway and canal network to move water to areas of the country affected by drought.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency, water companies and British Waterways have participated in recent Drought Summit meetings to co-ordinate actions in response to the drought.
	River and other waterways can play their part in transfers of water to improve resilience to drought. However, the environmental impacts of proposed projects must be carefully assessed as they can be significant and proposals should be cost effective against alternative options to manage the supply-demand balance.
	The Government, Ofwat and the Environment Agency are taking action to ensure that options for trading and transfer of water are taken forward where they are sustainable and cost effective for consumers.

Water Companies

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cumulative total spent by water companies on complying with EU water directives since privatisation of the industry.

Richard Benyon: Ofwat is the economic regulator of the water and sewerage companies in England and Wales. It estimates that the cumulative total of new water and sewerage investment driven by the need to meet the standards in EU Directives in the period from privatisation in 1989 to 2010-11 is approximately £18.5 billion. This consists of £13.2 billion on the sewerage service (including £9.4 billion on complying with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and £2.6 billion on complying with the Bathing Waters Directive) and £5.3 billion on the water service (including £1.6 billion on compliance with pesticide and nitrates standards).

Wind Power: Electricity

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for how long the three wind turbines erected at Lion House, Alnwick, have been inoperative; how many kilowatt-hours of electricity the turbines have generated since they were installed; what steps have been taken to bring the turbines back into use; and when she expects the turbines will be back in operation.

Richard Benyon: On 23 September 2011 DEFRA acted on advice received and suspended the operation of the Proven P35 wind turbines due to engineering health and safety faults reported on this model. The turbines have since been inoperative.
	Since that time extensive testing of the Proven P35 model has been conducted by the National Engineering Laboratory and as a result a potential solution has been developed to facilitate the reinstatement of the P35 wind turbine model. We are in dialogue with the company that propose to reinstate and maintain the P35 model nationally and are hopeful that a specific date for repair will be known soon.
	The kilowatt-hours of electricity generated since installation are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Wind (kWh) 
			 2010  
			 April 0 
			 May 0 
			 June 0 
			 July 0 
			 August 0 
			 September 0 
			 October 415 
			 November 3,224 
			 December 1,624 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 2,533 
			 February 3,643 
			 March 1,847 
		
	
	
		
			 April 2,377 
			 May 3,264 
			 June 1,120 
			 July 379 
			 August 925 
			 September 1,988 
			 October 0 
			 November 0 
			 December 0 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 0 
			 February 0 
			 March 0

NORTHERN IRELAND

Boston College

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has held discussions with the US Secretary of State regarding the Government's request to subpoena recordings from the Boston college oral history project.

Owen Paterson: I have not held discussions with the US Secretary of State regarding the request to subpoena recordings from the Boston college oral history project.

Boston College

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the (a) Police Service of Northern Ireland and (b) the Northern Ireland Department of Justice on the Government's request to subpoena recordings from the Boston college oral history project (i) prior to and (ii) subsequent to that request being made.

Owen Paterson: I have not had discussions with either the Police Service of Northern Ireland or the Northern Ireland Department of Justice on the request to subpoena recordings from the Boston college oral history project. My Department is not routinely informed of such requests for mutual legal assistance. In line with the Government's bilateral treaty with the United States on mutual legal assistance, all requests for assistance are transmitted via the Home Office.

Departmental Responsibilities

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates he has met with the Secretary of State for the Home Department to discuss (a) drug classification, (b) the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, (c) explosives, (d) security, (e) extradition and (f) immigration in the last 12 months.

Owen Paterson: I have regular meetings with the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), covering a variety of topics on areas of mutual concern.

Irish Language

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment his Department has made of the recommendation of the Council of Europe Advisory Committee's Third Report that the UK Government should develop comprehensive legislation on the Irish language in Northern Ireland to protect and implement more effectively the language rights of persons belonging to the Irish-speaking community.

Hugo Swire: Policy relating to regional and minority languages in Northern Ireland, including legislation on the Irish language, is in the main a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive. The Government recognise the importance of respect, understanding and tolerance in relation to linguistic diversity, and are committed to working with the devolved Administration to support the protection and development of the Irish language in those policy areas which remain non-transferred, such as broadcasting. I have met, and will happily continue to meet, Irish language organisations to discuss language issues within our sphere of responsibility.

WALES

Police Stations: Gwent

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment she has made of the effects of closure of police stations in Gwent.

Cheryl Gillan: I understand that Gwent police force has redesigned the way that its communities can access services in order to best meet people's busy and changing lifestyles. The force's plans for new service provision and accessibility are intended to match community needs and are part of an ongoing programme to deliver an efficient and accessible 21st century police force.
	Decisions about the most effective use of available resources, including the numbers and operating hours of police stations, are a matter for the chief constable and police authority to take locally. The Government however are clear that they want to see police officers on the streets, preventing and cutting crime, rather than behind their desks. Policing today reaches people through many means, not just police stations.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Theft

Keith Vaz: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many cases of theft from the Parliamentary Estate were reported in each year since 2010; and what items were reported stolen in each case.

John Thurso: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the responses given on 8 June 2011, Official Report, columns 338-9W.
	In 2011, between June and December, there were 23 reported thefts and in 2012 there have been 13 reported thefts up to 22 March.
	The following table shows the items reported stolen:
	
		
			  Items reported stolen Number 
			 2011 June to December Laptop 5 
			  Cash and bank card 1 
			  Mobile telephone 2 
			  iPad 2 
			  Correspondence 1 
			  Computer 1 
			  Medal 1 
			  Passport 1 
			  Bicycle 1 
			  Hard drive 2 
			  Souvenir 1 
			  Beer casks (4) 1 
			  Bicycle repair kit 1 
			  Bag 2 
			  Floral arrangement 1 
			    
			 2012 up to 22 March Trolley and consignment of books 1 
			  Spectacles 1 
			  Champagne 1 
			  BlackBerry device 1 
			  Laptop 5 
			  Printer 1 
			  Photos. 1 
			  Watch 1 
			  Cash 1

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Religious Practice

Hilary Benn: To ask the Attorney-General what the Government position is on the discrimination cases of Nadia Eweida and Shirley Chaplin currently before the European Court of Human Rights.

Lynne Featherstone: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Government Equalities Office.
	In October 2011 the Government, at the request of the European Court of Human Rights, submitted its written observations on the admissibility and merits of the applications that had been previously made to the Court by Nadia Eweida and Shirley Chaplin. These applications concern the applicants' wish to wear a cross or crucifix at work.
	The applicants claim that domestic law has breached their human rights, a claim which the Government deny.
	The Court will consider the applications in due course and the Government will consider their findings carefully when they are made.

Serious Fraud Office

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General what the (a) names and (b) qualifications are of the people appointed to work on the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's review of the Serious Fraud Office led by Chief Inspector Michael Fuller.

Edward Garnier: It is not the standard practice of HMCPSI to identify publicly the names or qualifications of employees or individuals appointed to work on its inspections.

Serious Fraud Office

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many and what proportion of senior civil servants in the Serious Fraud Office were from an ethnic minority background in March (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.

Dominic Grieve: The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) collects diversity data in line with the “Best practice guidance on monitoring equality and diversity in employment” and the “National Statistics Code of Practice”. This requires that all diversity data is collected on the understanding that it will be used anonymously and no statistics will be published where a number might be less than five. This ensures the anonymity of the data and protects staff confidentiality.
	During the years covered by the question SFO have employed relatively few individuals graded at SCS, and are therefore unable to disclose the information requested for the reason mentioned above.
	The Office for National Statistics routinely publishes data on the civil service and this includes data on ethnicity. The latest available figures can be found at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/pse/civil-service-statistics/2011/stb---civil-service-statistics-2011.html

Serious Fraud Office

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General for what reasons there are no plans to publish the findings and recommendations of the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's review of the Serious Fraud Office.

Edward Garnier: The HMCPSI inspection of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is an internal management report and intended to provide information to the Law Officers and the new SFO Director in order to assist them in setting the strategy and direction for the SFO in the coming months and years.

Serious Fraud Office

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General when he expects the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's review of the Serious Fraud Office to be completed.

Edward Garnier: HMCPSI is intending to provide a report of their inspection to the Law Officers and the new Director of the Serious Fraud Office by the end of May.

TRANSPORT

Aviation

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps she has taken to improve the frequency of flights to Brazil, India and China; and what assessment she has made of the effect of the volume of flights to such countries on levels of UK exports.

Theresa Villiers: The Department held negotiations with Brazil in 2011, with India in 2010 and with China in 2011. Our aim is to maintain close aviation relations with important markets and to remove government-level restrictions as far as is possible within the context of a bilateral or EU-level agreement. While uptake of routes is a commercial matter for airlines, the Air Services Agreements with these countries all provide considerably more frequencies than the airlines currently use.
	The Department has recently analysed whether air services at Heathrow adequately serve important countries for UK exports. It found a correlation between air services and exports but not a causal link; they are interrelated factors and the existence of one will influence the other.

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what work her Department has undertaken on the possible effect of the EU Emissions Trading System Scheme on the volume of traffic at UK airports.

Theresa Villiers: The UK conducted an impact assessment in 2010 which indicated that the overall reduction in UK terminal passenger demand caused by the inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS could be approximately 3% in the period up to 2020.

Aviation: Working Hours

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average flying hours were per (a) week, (b) month and (c) year for a commercial pilot in the latest period for which figures are available.

Theresa Villiers: Neither the Department nor the Civil Aviation Authority holds information on average flying hours for commercial pilots.

Aviation: Working Hours

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment her Department has made of the European Aviation Safety Agency evaluation of flight time limitations.

Theresa Villiers: I refer the right hon. Member to the evidence I gave in February 2012 to the Transport Committee inquiry into flight time limitations.

Aviation: Working Hours

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average Flight Duty Period was for (a) UK pilots and (b) pilots in other EU countries in the latest period for which figures are available.

Theresa Villiers: Neither the Department nor the Civil Aviation Authority holds information on average flight duty periods for pilots in the UK or in other countries.

Aviation: Working Hours

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information her Department holds on the frequency with which the Flight Duty Period is extended for UK pilots.

Theresa Villiers: The Civil Aviation Authority receives reports of the extension of flight duty periods by an aircraft commander when the extension exceeds a specified threshold. This information is not collated centrally.

Aviation: Working Hours

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to protect commercial pilots from fatigue.

Theresa Villiers: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman), on 21 November 2011, Official Report, column 98W.

Bus Services: Concessions

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the devolved Administrations on the provision in the Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 that allows bus passes issued in any part of the UK to be used throughout the UK since May 2010; and what plans she has to discuss this issue with the devolved Administrations.

Norman Baker: None. The Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 contains a power to allow, through future regulations, for mutual recognition of bus passes across the UK. Although discussions have taken place at official level with the devolved Administrations there are no plans to introduce mutual recognition of concessionary bus passes throughout the UK.

Civil Aviation Bill

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions (a) she, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in her Department have had with Belfast International airport and Belfast George Best airport on the Civil Aviation Bill.

Theresa Villiers: Since the Civil Aviation Bill was published in draft on 23 November 2011 for pre-legislative scrutiny, Ministers in the Department for Transport have not had any discussions with either George Best Belfast City airport or Belfast International airport on the Civil Aviation Bill.
	However, since the publication of the Civil Aviation Bill on 23 November 2011 in draft for pre-legislative scrutiny, DFT officials have provided updates to George Best Belfast City airport and Belfast International airport on the progress of the Bill, both before and after its introduction into Parliament on 19 January 2012.

Dee Harbour

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what date she expects to finalise proposals for the Dee Harbour Revision Order.

Michael Penning: This is complex case as there is an outstanding application for an overlapping and conflicting harbour revision order from another harbour authority, Mostyn Docks. There has also been a long exchange of post-inquiry correspondence. We continue to consider whether we can proceed on the basis of the evidence considered at that inquiry or whether we need to conduct further consultation. The intention is for a decision to be made this year.

Gospel Oak-Barking Railway Line

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the Mayor of London and Network Rail on the proposal to electrify the Barking to Gospel Oak section of the London Overground system.

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has had no such discussions.

Heathrow Airport: Air Pollution

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the compatibility of a third runway at Heathrow with the recommendations of the Committee on Climate Change in its report on Meeting the UK aviation target: options for reducing emissions to 2050, published in December 2009.

Theresa Villiers: We have made no such assessment.

London Airports

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on the development of an airport in the Thames estuary.

Theresa Villiers: We issued a scoping document last year seeking views and evidence on strategic issues relating to aviation policy. We received approximately 600 responses and some parties put forward proposals for a new airport in the Thames estuary.
	We will consult on our draft Aviation Policy Framework this summer. Alongside this consultation, we will publish a separate call for evidence on the options for ensuring that we maintain the UK's status as an international hub for aviation.
	We will consider a range of suggestions on how to maintain the UK's hub connectivity in a cost-effective and sustainable way, with the exception of a third runway at Heathrow.

London Airports

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will publish the draft aviation framework ahead of a call for evidence on maintaining the UK's aviation hub status.

Theresa Villiers: We intend to consult in the summer on a draft sustainable framework for UK aviation. Alongside this we intend to publish a call for evidence on maintaining effective UK hub airport connectivity.

London Airports

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on (a) retaining runway alternation and (b) the introduction of mixed mode operations at Heathrow.

Theresa Villiers: I refer my hon. Friend to my written statement of 7 September 2010, Official Report, columns 13-14WS.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

Alan Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was collected in road tax payments in respect of each category of vehicles in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011.

Michael Penning: The information requested is not available. However, information is available showing how road tax was collected and is shown in the following table. The information in the table is taken from the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts.
	
		
			 £ million 
			 VED collected by channel 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Post Office 3,232 3,059 2,846 
			 Local Services Network 381 353 345 
			 Electronic Vehicle Licensing 1,752 2,148 2,421 
			 Motor Manufacturing 305 251 257 
			 Fleet Operators 120 128 109 
			 Telephone Relicensing 1 4 5 
			 Amounts refunded (248) (201) (201) 
			 Total 5,543 5,742 5,782

Motor Vehicles: Freight

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials from her Department have had with the European Commission on EU directive 96/53 and the prohibition of cross-border transport of long and heavy vehicles; and what representations her Department has received on EU directive 96/53.

Michael Penning: Ministers and officials have regular contacts with colleagues at the European Commission on a range of transport issues.
	The Department has received representations from Freight on Rail about the European Commission’s long-term intentions on cross-border transport.

Motor Vehicles: Freight

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment her Department made of the road safety implications of cross-border transport of long and heavy vehicles;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the (a) level of carbon emissions and (b) modal shift from rail implications of cross-border transport of long and heavy vehicles.

Michael Penning: None. Cross-border operations of these vehicles are not permitted under European law. The Government have made clear that longer and heavier vehicles such as megatrucks or ‘super lorries’ will not be permitted on the UK’s roads for the foreseeable future.

Official Cars

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on providing a Government car for the Leader of the Opposition since May 2010.

Michael Penning: The charge to the taxpayer for the provision of a Government car to the Leader of the Official Opposition for the period May 2010 to March 2011 was £55,355.59. The estimated cost for the financial year 2011-12 will be £57,671.15.
	The Cabinet Office re-charges the Labour party 25% of the total cost paid to GDCA. This is consistent with the practice for the previous Leader of the Official Opposition.
	The above amounts exclude VAT.
	The charge for 2010-11 is the actual charge, less the 25% re-charge. The cost for the previous financial year is based on actual costs from April 2011 to February 2012, and the expected cost for March 2012. The Labour party has only been re-charged for six months of costs so far this year. The re-charge for the last six months of the year will be made at the end of the financial year (31 March 2012).

Railway Stations: Islington

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has held with Network Rail and the Mayor of London on step-free access to Finsbury Park and Highbury and Islington stations.

Norman Baker: No recent ministerial discussions have been held with Network Rail or the Mayor of London about accessibility at Finsbury Park or Highbury and Islington.
	The mainline areas of both stations are included in the Department’s Access for All programme which provides an accessible route into the station and to all platforms. The work at Highbury and Islington was completed in October 2010 at a cost of £1.3 million. Finsbury Park is due to start on site in late spring 2013 and take around 12 months, costing approximately £5 million.
	Accessibility on the London underground network, including funding decisions, is a matter for Transport for London and the Mayor.

Railways: Electrification

Nigel Mills: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cambridge of 6 March 2012, Official Report, column 635W, on electrification, how many miles of track the Government plans to electrify in (a) Wales, (b) the north-east, (c) the north-west, (d) Yorkshire and the Humber, (e) the west midlands, (f) the east midlands, (g) the east of England, (h) the south-west, (i) the south-east and (j) London.

Theresa Villiers: Under the Government's committed electrification schemes, Network Rail plans to electrify over 600 single track miles as part of the Great Western main line scheme of which over 100 single track miles are in Wales. Over 180 single track miles will be electrified as part of the north-west scheme.

Railways: Electrification

Nigel Mills: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cambridge of 6 March 2012, Official Report, column 635W, on electrification, what estimate she makes of the annual saving in carbon emissions as a result of the track electrified between May 1997 and May 2010.

Theresa Villiers: The Department has not made such an estimate because we do not have the necessary modelling tools to quantify the carbon impact of electrification over this time period. Furthermore, as there was very little new rail electrification between 1997 and 2010, the annual carbon savings will be minimal.

Railways: Electrification

Nigel Mills: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cambridge of 6 March 2012, Official Report, column 635W, on electrification, what estimate she makes of the annual saving in carbon emissions that will be achieved as a result of the Government's proposals to electrify railway tracks.

Theresa Villiers: The Department estimates that the electrification of the Great Western Main Line and routes in the north-west of England will, once operational, deliver annual emission savings of around 0.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Railways: North West

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what funding her Department committed to the Northern Hub rail project prior to May 2010;
	(2)  how much her Department spent on the Northern Hub rail project in each year between 2005 and 2010;
	(3)  how many track miles of the Northern Hub rail project were completed between 2005 and 2010.

Theresa Villiers: In relation to the Northern Hub, no expenditure or funding commitments were made by the Department for Transport and no track works were completed between 2005 and May 2010.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Alan Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the cost of maintaining the UK's road infrastructure in each year from 2009 to 2011 inclusive;
	(2)  how much central Government spent on improving the road network in each year from 2009 to 2011 inclusive.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport is responsible for the strategic road network which is managed by the Highways Agency on the Secretary of State for Transport's behalf. The remaining roads are the responsibility of local highway authorities under the Highways Act 1980. For roads in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland these are the responsibility of the respective devolved Administrations. We have therefore made no estimate of the cost of maintaining the UK's road infrastructure.
	Highways Agency spending on improving the strategic road network in each year from 2009 to 2011 (including smaller schemes and technology improvements) was as follows:
	
		
			  Spend on improving road network (£ million) 
			 2008-09 1,022 
			 2009-10 1,109 
			 2010-11 1,204 
		
	
	For roads in London capital funding is a matter for the Mayor and Transport for London.
	The Department for Transport has published information on its website regarding how much local transport capital funding has been allocated for Integrated Transport and Highways Maintenance Block grants for the financial years, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/integrated-transport-block-and-highways-maintenance/
	These tables provide information on what each local authority (including integrated transport authorities, shire counties and unitary authorities) has been allocated. This funding can be used to improve local roads that they manage if they so wish.
	In addition, the Department also provided capital funding for a series of local major schemes, costing over £5 million, in 2008-09 to 2010-11. The following table details the funding allocated to local authorities in England for local major schemes which are either categorised as a road scheme, or have an element that includes a road or improvement to the road:
	
		
			  Capital funding for road schemes (£ million) 
			 2008-09 278 
			 2009-10 287 
			 2010-11 265 
		
	
	Revenue funding for highway maintenance is provided through the Communities and Local Government Revenue Support Grant (RSG). RSG is an unhypothecated grant provided to local authorities to enable them to carry out their functions, and local authorities can choose to spend this on any services for which they have responsibility, as per local spending priorities.

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assumptions about the (a) procurement and (b) deployment of rolling stock were made in relation to (i) her Department’s press release of 26 November 2010 and (ii) paragraph 1.17 of her Department’s publication on reforming our railways.

Theresa Villiers: As the press release of 26 November 2010 explained, franchised train operators are free to introduce extra carriages at any time at their own expense. However, if the train operator does not feel it can recover the additional costs of running the extra carriages from passenger revenues they are unlikely to introduce them. This was why the Government intervened with additional funding at the time, in order to increase capacity and reduce overcrowding.
	The Government are committed to a less prescriptive approach to the specification of rail franchises, with decisions such as rolling stock provision devolved primarily to franchise operators. This position is set out in paragraphs 4.65 to 4.67 of the Department’s publication on reforming our railways.

Shipping: Recruitment

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the total number of new training roles for UK ratings created by shipping companies (a) outside and (b) inside the tonnage tax scheme in each year since 2000-01.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport does not collate information on the number of training roles for UK ratings. I hope that the ratings apprenticeships programme recently launched by the Merchant Navy Training Board will enhance UK ratings' training and further allow new entrants and existing ratings to meet the maritime industry's needs for skilled support staff.

Shipping: Recruitment

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the rate of recruitment is of UK ratings in the maritime sector; what assessment she has made of the likelihood of a deficit in UK ratings in the maritime sector by 2021 based on current recruitment rates; and whether she has made a recent estimate of the extent of any such future deficit.

Michael Penning: In the written ministerial statement I made on 23 January 2012, Official Report, column 5WS, I announced the outcome of the independent review which I commissioned into the economic requirement for trained seafarers in the UK. The report found that overall supply and demand for deck and engineer ratings at sea should be broadly in balance over the next decade.
	The report identified a need to develop the next generation of UK ratings for the short-sea, coastal and offshore (including renewables) sectors. In announcing a budget of £12 million a year for the support for maritime training scheme for the remainder of this Parliament, I made clear that support would be made available for ratings training and ratings to officer conversion training.

Taxis

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department spent on taxis for (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants between August 2011 and January 2012.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport does not record taxi expenses for Ministers and civil servants separately. Total figures for the central Department and five of its agencies are included in the following table.
	The Department's remaining two agencies (Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) do not record taxi fares separately from other travel costs, and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Highways Agency did not record taxi fares separately prior to 2010-11.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Financial year 2009-10 F inancial yea r 2010-11 Half-year August 20 11 to  January 2012 
			 Department for Transport (Central) 121,815 84,740 38,292 
			 Driving Standards Agency 15,859 12,986 5,142 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 38,018 26,398 13,200 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 0 0 0 
			 Highways Agency 0 45,384 20,478 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 1,558 9,603 2,927 
		
	
	The table shows that the coalition Government have significantly reduced expenditure on taxis since May 2010.

Transport for London

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether she has considered bringing forward proposals to change Transport for London's remit to include responsibility for the South East;
	(2)  whether she has received bids from Transport for London for overground rail services in the London area; and what assessment she has made of the potential effects of the awarding of any such contracts on commuters from Sittingbourne and Sheppey constituency.

Theresa Villiers: The Government are currently conducting a public consultation to assess whether a more decentralised approach to franchise specification and procurement could potentially deliver benefits in relation to some rail services.
	The consultation document can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-10/
	The consultation will close on 28 June 2012. Submissions made as part of the consultation will be considered in due course.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many contracts Vodafone has been awarded by her Department in the last 12 months.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport (including its agencies) has let two contracts to Vodafone via the Government Procurement Services framework agreement in the last 12 months.
	The contracts were awarded by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and the Vehicle Certification Agency.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contracts her Department has with Vodafone.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport uses the contract for Mobile Services centrally let to Vodafone by the Government Procurement Services team in the Cabinet Office.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  on how many occasions a charter plane has been used to transport service personnel to Afghanistan since May 2010;
	(2)  how much he has spent on chartering planes to Afghanistan (a) in total and (b) to replace flights in military transport aircraft since May 2010.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 19 March 2012
	The routine use of commercial charter flights to carry personnel on a return journey basis between the UK and the Middle East began in December 2008. Since then, a total of £128 million has been spent transferring personnel in this way. For force protection reasons, chartered aircraft are not permitted to fly to Afghanistan and this leg of the journey is carried out using military C-17 or TriStar aircraft. This enables the Department to maximise the numbers of movements to and from the operational theatre, making optimum use of the force protected military fleet.
	Since May 2010, 345 chartered flights have been used to transport UK armed forces personnel to and from the Middle East.
	Between 1 May 2010 and 31 December 2011 (the last full month for which figures are available) the total expenditure on chartered flights for the transportation of personnel and freight between the UK and the Middle East was £215 million.

Afghanistan

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many supply and re-supply operations there have been to Afghanistan since (a) operations began and (b) January 2011; and what the cost of those operations was in each period.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 26 March 2012
	It will take time to compile the information held by the Ministry of Defence about the number of movements to transport supplies to and from Afghanistan.
	I will write to the hon. Member once the information has been collated.
	Substantive answer from Nick Harvey to Stephen Barclay:
	I undertook to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Question answered on 27 March 2012 (Official Report, column 1048W) about supply and re-supply operations to Afghanistan. I said that I would write to you once the requested information had been compiled. This task has now been completed.
	We have defined ‘supply and re-supply operations’ to mean the forward movement of freight through the available Lines of Communications (LOCs) between the UK and Afghanistan.
	Re-supply operations are not discrete events (with the exception of a small number of deliberate operations to deliver equipment by sea to Cyprus and then by air to Afghanistan) and MOD continuously replenishes Afghanistan through daily and weekly deliveries using other LOCs. In order to provide comparable indicative cost data and a single unit of measure, a standard industry measurement of a Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) is used by the MOD.
	The TEU is an inexact unit of cargo volume used to describe the capacity of container ships and is based on the volume of a 6.1m long, 2.44m wide container, a standard-sized metal box which can be easily transferred between different modes of transportation, such as ships, trains and trucks. The average MOD loading of these containers is 10 tonnes. Whilst there is of course in month variability the 10 tonne figure has remained consistent over the last few years. This enables collated weight statistics for Air and Surface LOCs to be translated into an equivalent comprehensible unit of measure.
	Information on the number and cost of TEU movements between 2001 (when operations began) and 2008 can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	Between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2010, 9,892 TEUs were moved to Afghanistan at an indicative cost of £166 million.
	Between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2011 (the last full month for which figures are available) 4,440 TEUs were moved to Afghanistan at an indicative cost of £82 million.

Afghanistan

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how much is being saved from the Reserve in each year of this Parliament from operations in Afghanistan; and from where such savings are being found in each year;
	(2)  how he plans to save £2.4 billion from the Reserve from operations in Afghanistan.

Philip Hammond: The changes to the forecast claim by the Ministry of Defence on the Special Reserve were set out in Budget 2012 (HC1853) published on 21 March 2012, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s announcement in the Budget reflects a change in the MOD's and Treasury's assumptions about the likely cost of operations in Afghanistan, reflecting changes in the nature of UK operations as transition progresses and recent announcements regarding the draw-down of forces from Afghanistan in future years.
	These changes enabled the release of a proportion of the Special Reserve, and allowed the Chancellor to provide further funding to improve military housing, to increase the council tax rebate for thousands of deployed military personnel, and to improve welfare provision for the families of personnel on operations.
	The MOD's ability to claim funds from the Reserve has not changed as a result of the Budget. The MOD will continue to claim all of the net additional costs of operations from the Reserve.

Air Force: Working Hours

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the average flight duty period for RAF personnel is; and what assessment he has made of how this compares to other NATO countries;
	(2)  how many times the flight duty period was extended in the last 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 27 March 2012
	No assessment has been made of the average flight crew duty hours across all RAF aircraft fleets or how the set maximum periods compare with those set in other NATO countries. The maximum permissible duty periods vary depending on the type of aircraft and role undertaken. Individual crew member records are supervised to ensure they do not exceed approved limits unless an extension is authorised.
	The authorisation to extend flight crew duty periods is delegated to squadron, station, group or air officer commanding level dependent on the length of extension required and the operational circumstances for the extension. Consequently, the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Air Force: Working Hours

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the European Aviation Safety Agency evaluation of flight time limitations.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has made no independent assessment of the European Aviation Safety Agency regulations on flight time limitations. However, NATO Standardisation Agreement 3527—Aircrew Fatigue Management, under which military flights operate, is reviewed annually and takes account of relevant civil regulations.

Air Force: Working Hours

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether RAF personnel are subject to European flight time limitations.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 27 March 2012
	No.

Air Force: Working Hours

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average flying hours for RAF personnel are.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, as it would require manual searches of individual crew member records.

Aircraft Carriers

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at the time of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, what the estimated unit cost was of the carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter.

Peter Luff: I am withholding the information as publication at this time would prejudice the commercial interests of Ministry of Defence.

Aircraft Carriers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what contracts have been signed for the (a) Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and (b) arrester hook equipment to be installed on the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers;
	(2)  what long lead items have been purchased for the (a) Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and (b) arrester hook equipment; and what the cost to the public purse was of any such purchases.

Peter Luff: We have not placed any contracts for the purchase of aircraft launch and recovery equipment, be that the electro-magnetic aircraft launch system or advanced arrestor gear. The arrestor hook is an integral part of the F-35C aircraft, not the carrier.

Ammunition: Scotland

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) service and (b) civilian personnel were employed at UK munitions centres at (i) Crombie, (ii) Beith and (iii) Glen Douglas in each of the last 10 years.

Andrew Robathan: Records are no longer held for civilian personnel prior to 2004 or for military personnel prior to 2007.
	No service personnel have been employed at the Defence Munitions (DM) Centres at Crombie, Beith and Glen Douglas since 2007. Details of civilian personnel employed since 2004 are contained in the following table:
	
		
			 Year (1) DM Crombie DM Beith DM Glen Douglas 
			 2004(2) 115 236 75 
			 2005 210 394 143 
			 2006 199 391 136 
			 2007 170 380 133 
			 2008 141 363 130 
			 2009 119 333 125 
			 2010 107 322 121 
			 2011 101 305 118 
			 2012 84 281 109 
			 (1) As at 1 January. (2) Details of industrial civilian personnel employed were not recorded on the Ministry of Defence's personnel data recording system until March 2004. Therefore, the figures provided for 2004 are incomplete and are for non-industrial civilian personnel only.

Armed Forces: Cadets

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the likely effects of changes to home-to-duty allowance conditions on air cadet volunteers; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The rate of the personal contribution which Service personnel who live in public accommodation, and adult cadet volunteers, are required to make towards the cost of home-to-duty travel, will now remain at three miles for each journey undertaken. Therefore, no such assessment has been made.

Armed Forces: Council Tax

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of military families posted overseas who do not receive a 50 per cent. discount in council tax as a result of leaving their UK home unoccupied; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what consideration he has given to applying the 50 per cent. discount in council tax to all military families posted overseas; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: Council tax discounts in respect of private properties being unoccupied while a member of the armed forces is serving overseas are a matter for local authorities. However, as part of the commitment in the Armed Forces Covenant, the Government will encourage local authorities to be more aware of the payments service personnel and families pay in lieu of council tax when overseas when considering an application for a second home discount. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not keep records of the number of service personnel who own, rent or let their private properties; and I am therefore unable to provide an estimate of those who are liable for council tax.
	For those service personnel deployed on operations overseas, the MOD’s council tax relief (CTR) scheme is available. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced on 21 March 2012, Official Report, column 796, that the CTR payment is to be doubled to just under £600 for a typical six-month tour. This will directly benefit some 9,500 members of the armed forces each year. Given the current financial position, the Government wish to focus CTR on those who are serving on operations overseas.

Armed Forces: Training

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people from other countries have completed (a) the Principal Warfare Officers Course, (b) the International Joint Operational Planners Course and (c) international staff courses in each of the last five years; and from which countries they came.

Nick Harvey: There are several versions of the Principal Warfare Officers (PWO) Course: the Royal Navy's PWO Course, the International PWO Course A and the International PWO Course B. There is also the International Joint Operational Planners (IJOP) Course and the Joint Operational Planners (JOP) Course. Each of these courses may be attended by foreign nationals, as long as the course criteria are met.
	The number of people from other countries who have completed the relevant courses in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			 2007-08 
			  Number 
			 Royal Navy PWO Course A  
			 New Zealand 1 
			 Germany 2 
			 Total 3 
			   
			 International PWO Course A  
			 Brunei 2 
			 Greece 2 
			 Malaysia 3 
			 Pakistan 1 
			 Singapore 1 
			 Total 9 
			   
			 International PWO Course B  
			 Ghana 1 
			 Greece 2 
			 Qatar 1 
			 Oman 1 
			 Total 5 
			   
			 IJOP Course  
			 Chile 2 
		
	
	
		
			 Denmark 2 
			 Netherlands 4 
			 Poland 2 
			 Saudi Arabia 2 
			 Singapore 2 
			 South Africa 2 
			 United Arab Emirates 1 
			 Total 17 
			   
			 JOP Course  
			 Denmark 3 
			 France 9 
			 Netherlands 10 
			 Norway 5 
			 Total 27 
		
	
	
		
			 2008-09 
			  Number 
			 Royal Navy PWO Course A  
			 New Zealand 3 
			 Total 3 
			   
			 International PWO Course A  
			 Brunei 2 
			 Greece 2 
			 Pakistan 1 
			 Total 5 
			   
			 International PWO Course B  
			 Chile 1 
			 Ghana 1 
			 Greece 1 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 2 
			 Total 5 
			   
			 IJOP Course  
			 Bahrain 7 
			 Ghana 1 
			 Norway 2 
			 Saudi Arabia 2 
			 Total 12 
			   
			 JOP Course  
			 Denmark 1 
			 France 2 
			 Netherlands 9 
			 Total 12 
		
	
	
		
			 2009-10 
			  Number 
			 Royal Navy PWO Course A  
			 New Zealand 3 
			 Germany 1 
			 Total 4 
			   
			 International PWO Course A  
			 Brunei 2 
			 Greece 1 
			 Malaysia 2 
		
	
	
		
			 Pakistan 1 
			 Singapore 1 
			 Total 7 
			   
			 International PWO Course B  
			 Chile 1 
			 Greece 2 
			 Iraq 2 
			 Nigeria 2 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 1 
			 Total 8 
			   
			 IJOP Course  
			 Chile 1 
			 Netherlands 2 
			 Saudi Arabia 4 
			 Senegal 4 
			 United Arab Emirates 3 
			 Total 14 
			   
			 JOP Course  
			 Denmark 1 
			 France 2 
			 Netherlands 2 
			 Norway 1 
			 Sweden 1 
			 Total 7 
		
	
	
		
			 2010-11 
			  Number 
			 Royal Navy PWO Course A  
			 Germany 1 
			 New Zealand 5 
			 Total 6 
			   
			 International PWO Course A  
			 Brunei 2 
			 Greece 1 
			 Kuwait 1 
			 Pakistan 1 
			 Singapore 1 
			 South Africa 2 
			 Total 8 
			   
			 International PWO Course B  
			 Ireland 2 
			 Kuwait 2 
			 Nigeria 5 
			 Poland 1 
			 Turkey 2 
			 Total 12 
			   
			 IJOP Course  
			 France 1 
			 Denmark 1 
			 Netherlands 3 
			 Oman 4 
			 Singapore 11 
		
	
	
		
			 Total 20 
			   
			 JOP Course  
			 France 1 
			 Netherlands 2 
			 Norway 1 
			 Total 4 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12 
			  Number 
			 Royal Navy PWO Course A  
			 New Zealand 3 
			 Total 3 
			   
			 International PWO Course A  
			 Brunei 2 
			 Chile 1 
			 Kuwait 3 
			 Malaysia 4 
			 Pakistan 1 
			 Singapore 1 
			 Total 12 
			   
			 International PWO Course B  
			 Estonia 1 
			 Kuwait 9 
			 Nigeria 2 
			 Poland 2 
			 Total 14 
			   
			 IJOP Course  
			 Belgium 3 
			 India 4 
			 Norway 2 
			 Oman 2 
			 Saudi Arabia 2 
			 Sri Lanka 1 
			 United Arab Emirates 2 
			 Total 16 
			   
			 JOP Course  
			 Netherlands 2 
			 Norway 1 
			 Total 3 
		
	
	Information related to international staff courses is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will publish the terms and conditions of the contract awarded to General Dynamics for the production of the Scout fighting vehicle; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether the contract awarded to General Dynamics for the production of the Scout fighting vehicle is a cost-plus contract; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: I am withholding the information as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. Moreover, the publication of the contract is exempt under the Government's Transparency Agenda due to the war-like nature of the equipment being procured.
	The contract with General Dynamics UK is not a cost-plus contract, but is a mix of firm and fixed prices.

Bahrain

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) officials and (b) members of the armed forces assisted in the training of Bahraini security forces in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012.

Nick Harvey: Members of the armed forces have provided training—including in the UK—as part of a longstanding programme of security co-operation and assistance. This training includes elements which enhance an individual's understanding of the control and employment of security forces in accordance with the rule of law.

Blue Force Property

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2011, Official Report, column 73W, on Blue Force Property, whether the Ministry of Defence Police launched a formal investigation into the Blue Forces property management company based at Colchester; whether he has considered the findings of the review undertaken by insolvency practitioners FRP Advisory into the liquidation of the Blue Forces group; and whether his Department is providing (a) financial and (b) other assistance to current and former members of the armed forces who lost money as a result of the collapse of Blue Forces; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: Jurisdiction for any investigation into the financial practices of Blue Forces is a matter for Essex police. The MOD Police is not involved in this process.
	As we were not in a financial relationship with Blues Forces, there is no requirement for the MOD to consider the findings of the insolvency practitioners. This is a matter for the creditors, some of whom are service personnel, and have acted in a private capacity.
	As I said in an answer on 7 March 2011, Official Report, column 807W, we have issued advice through the chain of command for those service personnel who may be affected. However the MOD cannot provide any financial assistance to serving or former members of HM armed forces who have lost money as a result of a private company going into liquidation. Serving personnel who believe they may be affected should consult their chain of command. Former service personnel can contact their local Citizens Advice Bureau or the insolvency practitioners.

Canada

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether the Canadian government has asked for compensation with regard to the submarines purchased in 1998;
	(2)  whether the Canadian armed forces has asked for assistance with regard to submarines purchased in 1998.

Peter Luff: The records providing detailed background to this topic are stored in archives and need to be retrieved in order to provide a full answer to the hon. Member. I will write to the hon. Member in due course.
	Substantive answer from Peter Luff to Mike Hancock:
	In my written answer to your Parliamentary Questions on 20 March 2012 (Official Report, column 584W), I promised to write to you regarding the Upholder Class submarines (subsequently renamed the Victoria Class) purchased in 1998 by the Canadian Government. Officials have carried out a review of the records on this matter, most of which had been archived given their age, and I am now in a position to provide you with a substantive answer.
	I can confirm that in 2002 and 2004 the Canadian Government asked for compensation to be paid for the submarines due to concerns about their condition and ability to meet the Canadian requirements. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) did not pay any compensation; however, an amendment to the contract was agreed where the cost of the final submarine was reduced by £2 million as an act of good faith and without liability.
	The MOD holds annual meetings with the Canadian Department of National Defence to discuss any issues of mutual interest arising from the operation of the Victoria Class submarines. Outside these meetings, requests for information or assistance, in the form of technical advice on through life support, are occasionally received from either the Canadian Government or Babcock International Ltd, the contractor that maintains the submarines. Both the annual meetings and individual requests are handled as routine business under a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding for the exchange of technical information.

Conflict Prevention

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent steps his Department has taken to support conflict prevention; and if he will make a statement.

Gerald Howarth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 March 2012, Official Report, column 956W, to the right hon. Member for Bermondsey and Old Southwark (Simon Hughes).

Defence

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value of the defence sector is to the economy; how many people are employed in the industry; what proportion of the industry operates in each region; and what the industry spent on its supply chains in the UK in 2011.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence produce the ‘UK Defence Statistics (UKDS)’ which are published annually. These include estimates of MOD spend with industry and commerce in the UK, and the information can be found in Table 1.10.
	We no longer collect any analysis data relating to national and regional employment.

Defence

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to support the defence industry and its domestic supply chain.

Peter Luff: The Government recognises that to meet our defence requirements, we need thriving, innovative, and highly efficient suppliers. A healthy and competitive industry in the UK makes a significant contribution to developing and sustaining key defence and security capabilities, as well as contributing to export-led growth and a re-balanced economy.
	That is why, in our recently published White Paper ‘National Security Through Technology’ (Cm 8278), the Government have set out a number of measures to support UK-based suppliers, including supporting responsible defence and security exports and ensuring that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), who are often vital elements of the supply-chain, are able to fulfil their potential.

Defence Equipment: Internet

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the ability of the Ministry of Defence Police to identify and investigate incidents of (a) respirators and (b) other armed forces equipment being available for purchase on the internet.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence Police currently uses proactive intelligence-led initiatives to identify and detect thefts of armed forces equipment, and those involved in the unlawful disposal of stolen Defence property, by monitoring internet trading sites and other markets, and then taking appropriate law enforcement action.

Defence Equipment: Theft

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to prevent theft of its equipment.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD), working with the MOD Police and the Service Police have actively promoted a number of crime reduction initiatives, which encourage the safeguarding of MOD property.
	Examples include an ongoing proactive initiative targeted on the sale of MOD equipment which should not lawfully be available in the public domain; the establishment of a Defence Irregularity Reporting Cell, which is the central pan-MOD point to which all suspicions of irregularity, including fraud, theft, corruption involving personnel, contractors or other bodies, should be reported.

Defence Equipment: Theft

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many incidents of theft from his Department have been referred to the Ministry of Defence Police for investigation in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: A total of 361 reported suspicions were referred to the Ministry of Defence Police in financial year 2011-12 up to 30 March 2012.

Defence Equipment: Theft

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many incidents of theft of his Department's equipment there were in the fiscal year 2011-12.

Andrew Robathan: There have been 310 thefts of Ministry of Defence equipment in the fiscal year 2011-12 (inclusive 30 March 2012).

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on new furnishings in the last year.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence's expenditure on free standing furniture in the last two financial years was £10.045 million in 2011-12 and £19.225 million in 2010-11. This includes expenditure on furniture for bases and service accommodation.

Diamond Jubilee 2012: Medals

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will award the Queen's diamond jubilee medal to Territorial Army personnel who have served over five continuous years but not qualified for the 2012 bounty.

Andrew Robathan: Medals are traditionally awarded for royal jubilees to recognise and reward the service and dedication of key front line services and in particular to those who are exposed regularly to difficult, often emergency situations and who potentially risk their lives.
	The Culture Secretary's announcement on 28 June 2012 stated that members of the armed forces (regular and reserves) who have completed five full calendar years of service, and are serving on 6 February 2012, will be presented with a medal to mark Her Majesty the Queen's diamond jubilee. These two criteria are consistent with the approach adopted for earlier jubilee medals, such as the golden jubilee in 2002.
	Reserve forces are eligible to receive this medal providing they hold five Certificates of Efficiency that do not have to represent consecutive years. However, the latest certificate must reflect financial year 2011-12. There are no plans to change this important principle.

Early Retirement

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many holders of letters of Airworthiness Delegation left his Department under early release or early retirement schemes in each of the last three years; and which team such staff worked for.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 19 March 2012
	Five holders of Letters of Airworthiness Authority left the Department under early release or voluntary redundancy in 2011. None left in 2010 or in 2012 to date.
	Of the five individuals who left in 2011, two worked in the UK Military Flying Training System Project Team and one in each of the Aircrew Equipment and Survival Project Team, Merlin Helicopter Project Team and Lynx Helicopter Project Team.

Early Warning Systems

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on the Airborne Warning and Control System in each of the last five years; and what further spending has been allocated to this system.

Peter Luff: The information requested on expenditure in each of the last five years is presented in the following table:
	
		
			 Financial year Total spend (£ million) 
			 2007-08 62 
			 2008-09 60 
			 2009-10 64 
			 2010-11 74 
			 Forecast 2011-12 80 
		
	
	Details of future spending on the Sentry Airborne Early Warning and Control System are currently being finalised as part of the Department’s Planning Round 2012.

Explosives: Large Goods Vehicles

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the security of transport arrangements for the purpose of identification of explosives and projectile ammunition carried by lorries.

Peter Luff: Statutory Instrument (SI) 1348—The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations—details the security and the marking and labelling requirements for the transport of ammunition by road. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) policy for the transport of dangerous goods by road and rail is contained in Joint Service Publication (JSP) 800 Volume 4B—Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road, Rail and Sea. JSP 800 incorporates the requirements of SI 1348 and includes additional security measures for the transport of those goods that have been assessed by MOD security to be attractive to criminal and terrorist organisations.
	Each transport operation, including those conducted by approved contractors, is assessed in accordance with the extant security alert state and conducted in accordance with these requirements. MOD policy is reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains in line with legislation and all units and establishments involved in the transport of dangerous goods are audited to ensure compliance.

London Olympics 2012

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many invitations to attend events at the London 2012 Olympics (a) he, (b) other Ministers in his Department and (c) senior officials in his Department have accepted; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Hammond: No invitations to attend events at the London 2012 Olympics have been accepted by the Secretary of State or other Defence Ministers. Information on whether senior officials have accepted invitations to attend events at the London Olympics is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Details of hospitality received by Ministers and Special Advisers and the most senior officials are published on a quarterly basis and will be available for July-September 2012 in due course.

Military Bases: Edinburgh

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  when he expects to announce his decision on whether (a) Redford Barracks and (b) Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh are to be vacated or disposed of;
	(2)  on which dates valuations of (a) Redford Barracks and (b) Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh have been made since 2007.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence is currently undertaking work to determine the potential capacity of the estate including options for maximising its use and disposing of sites no longer required. This work is progressing alongside other studies such as Army 2020 and the resulting plans for the estate will be announced in due course.
	Valuations of the sites were produced by GVA in September 2007 and March 2011. GVA are currently assessing the sites and will report shortly.

Missile Technology Control Regime

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the range and payload criteria currently established in the Missile Technology Control Regime.

Nick Harvey: The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is an important part of the international counter proliferation architecture and the UK and other regime partners continuously review the guidelines and annexes.

Missile Technology Control Regime

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he proposes to amend the Missile Technology Control Regime in the light of the development of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Nick Harvey: The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is an important part of the international counter proliferation architecture and the UK and other regime partners continuously review the guidelines and annexes. The UK recognises the distinction between unmanned air systems (UAS) and cruise and ballistic missiles and discusses the effects of developments in UAS with regime partners. However, the MTCR works on a consensus basis and thus each of the 34 member states has to be in agreement before changes to the guidelines can be implemented.

Navy: Training

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people from other countries have completed flag officer sea training in each of the last five years; and from which countries they came.

Nick Harvey: Royal Navy records indicate that a total number of 14,241 people from other countries that have completed flag officer sea training in the last five years.
	The breakdown of this figure for each financial year is as follows:
	
		
			 2007-08 
			  Number 
			 Chile 181 
			 Estonia 35 
			 France 90 
			 Germany 1499 
			 Greece 259 
			 Netherlands 705 
			 Poland 200 
			 Portugal 182 
			 South Africa 100 
			 Sweden 66 
			 Turkey 206 
			 Total 3523 
		
	
	
		
			 2008-09 
			  Number 
			 Belgium 156 
			 Chile 181 
			 Estonia 29 
			 Germany 955 
			 Greece 87 
			 Netherlands 526 
			 Portugal 182 
			 South Africa 120 
			 United States 346 
			 Total 2582 
		
	
	
		
			 2009-10 
			  Number 
			 Australia 377 
			 Belgium 156 
			 Estonia 35 
			 Germany 1151 
			 Greece 87 
			 Netherlands 204 
			 Portugal 156 
			 Sweden 123 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 25 
			 United States 358 
			 Total 2672 
		
	
	
		
			 2010-11 
			  Number 
			 Germany 1535 
			 Netherlands 645 
			 Portugal 182 
			 Sweden 86 
			 Total 2448 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12 
			  Number 
			 Algeria 80 
			 Australia 69 
			 Germany 2031 
			 Netherlands 266 
			 Sweden 292 
			 United States 278 
			 Total 3016

Procurement

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of contracts issued by (a) his Department and (b) agencies for which he is responsible were awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises in the latest period for which figures are available.

Peter Luff: holding answer 19 March 2012
	The percentage of contracts awarded to small and medium enterprises as a proportion of overall number of contracts, for the latest period for which figures are available, is as follows:
	
		
			 Department or agency Percentage of contracts awarded (%) Latest period for which figures are available 
			 MOD 40 April to September 2011 
			 Defence Science and Technology Laboratory 32 April 2011 to February 2012 
			 Defence Support Group 54 January to December 2011 
			 UK Hydrographic Office 45 April 2011 to February 2012

Theft

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 30 January 2012, Official Report, column 421W, on departmental theft, (a) how many of the thefts were investigated by (i) local police and (ii) military police and (b) how many of these investigations resulted in (i) prosecution and (ii) conviction; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: A total of 13 cases of theft have been investigated by local police ie Home Office Police Services. This number includes nine cases investigated by Home Office Police Services, one jointly investigated by Home Office Police and Ministry of Defence Police and three cases investigated by Overseas Police.
	A total of 73 cases were investigated by Service Police ie Royal Navy Police, Royal Air Force Police and Royal Military Police. In addition, 120 cases were investigated by the Ministry of Defence Police.
	One case resulted in prosecution and it led to a conviction.
	The MOD takes detecting and deterring theft very seriously. In many cases a suspected perpetrator is not identified or there is insufficient evidence to pursue a prosecution. Where a suspected perpetrator is identified prosecution or internal disciplinary action follows as appropriate.

Trident

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse was in the current spending round of the maintenance of Trident and all aspects of preparation for its successor.

Peter Luff: As stated in the White Paper ‘The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent’ (Cm 6994), published in December 2006, the costs of maintaining the UK's nuclear deterrent are around 5% of the defence budget. This is expected to remain the case during the current comprehensive spending review (CSR) period, which covers the financial years 2011-12 to 2014-15.
	The assessment phase of the programme to replace the Vanguard class submarines started in February 2011 and will continue through to Main Gate approval in 2016. As noted in the parliamentary report ‘The United Kingdom's Future Nuclear Deterrent: The Submarine Initial Gate’, published in May 2011, we expect to spend £3 billion on the assessment phase.
	I am withholding further information on expenditure during the CSR period at this time, as this would be likely to prejudice commercial interests and the development of Government policy.

Trident

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Trident Alternatives Review being conducted by his Department will consider alternative basing locations for the nuclear deterrent fleet.

Nick Harvey: It will not.
	As a separate point of clarification, the Trident Alternatives Review is led by officials in the Cabinet Office under my oversight, with support from the Ministry of Defence and other Departments.

Veterans

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the long-term outcomes for disabled and traumatised veterans; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The Government continue to monitor closely the arrangements for veterans whose physical and mental injuries are such that they will need long-term support and assistance. The Ministry of Defence works with other Government Departments, devolved Administrations and voluntary sector organisations to ensure that the needs and circumstances of these veterans are known, with the aim of improving their access to services and to assist with their transition to civilian life.
	The Armed Forces Covenant underlines our commitment to ensuring that all the service community, including family members and ex-service personnel, receive the support and recognition which they deserve. This includes work undertaken by the Department of Health to inform GPs about the potential health problems that veterans may face and a programme run by the Department of Communities and Local Government to ensure that local authorities give eligible veterans priority in housing.

Wildcat Helicopters

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what weapons systems are expected to be used on the Wildcat helicopter by (a) the Army and (b) the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: holding answer 19 March 2012
	We currently expect to be able to use the following weapons systems on the Lynx Wildcat helicopter:
	The General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) 7.62 mm and Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) 12.7 mm for the Army variant—Lynx Wildcat Mk 1 AH (Army Helicopter).
	The Sting Ray Torpedo; Mk 11 Depth charge; GPMG; HMG; Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (FASGW) for the Royal Navy variant—Lynx Wildcat Mk 1 HMA (Helicopter Maritime Attack).

EDUCATION

Academies

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department uses to identify failing schools to be converted to academies.

Michael Gove: Schools are considered to be underperforming if they are below the floor standards or in an Ofsted category.

NEETs

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training.

John Hayes: We are investing over £7 billion to fund a place in education or training for every 16 to 18-year-old in England who wants one.
	In addition, we are investing £126 million to provide a new programme of intensive support for the most vulnerable 16 and 17-year-olds NEET.

Academies

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what correspondence (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials have had with (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in Newcastle Upon Tyne Central constituency on academy status; and what representations he has received from primary schools in Newcastle Upon Tyne Central constituency on this issue.

Nick Gibb: The Department has regular discussions with schools across the country, including in Newcastle, about academy status. Schools that apply to convert to academy status will be allocated a dedicated contact within the Department to support them through the process. Where a school is underperforming officials will discuss sponsored academy solutions with the local authority and school. Information on schools that have applied to convert to academy status is available on the Department's website:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies/b0069811/open-academies-and-academy-projects-in-development

Academies

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what governance arrangements are in place when two or more schools join together in an academy federation; what governing bodies are responsible for such schools; and where the primary accountability to the Secretary of State lies.

Nick Gibb: There are two types of academy federation with a shared governance structure. The first is a multi-academy trust, where two or more academies are part of a single charitable company with one set of members, one board of directors (governing body) and a local governing body (with delegated executive functions) or advisory body (with no executive functions), operating at a local level for each academy. There is a master funding agreement covering all academies in the trust, and a supplementary funding agreement for each individual academy between the multi-academy trust and the Secretary of State. The multi-academy trust is accountable to the Secretary of State.
	The second is an umbrella trust, set up by two or more schools. The umbrella trust (which could be a charitable trust) establishes an individual academy trust (a charitable company with its own members and governing body) to run each academy. Each academy trust enters into a separate funding agreement with and is accountable to the Secretary of State. An umbrella trust, which is less formal than a multi-academy trust, allows individual academies to keep their own governance arrangements.

Academies: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what arrangements are in place for academies to reply to letters from hon. Members who have written on behalf of their constituents regarding admission places; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will take steps to ensure that Walsall Academy replies to letters from the hon. Member for Walsall North when he writes on behalf of constituents regarding admission places; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 27 March 2012
	All academies are required under the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010 to have a complaints procedure for parents of pupils so they can raise issues with a school or academy. No school is required by law, or in the case of academies their contract with the Secretary of State for Education, to respond to all correspondence they receive but all state funded schools are subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Our general expectation would be for all schools to respond to enquiries from whomever they come.

Academies: Private Finance Initiative

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which academies in England and Wales are private finance initiatives.

Nick Gibb: 30 schools that form part of a private finance initiative construction contract have become academies, as of 1 March 2012:
	These academies are:
	Bristol Brunei Academy;
	Bristol Metropolitan Academy;
	Clacton Coastal Academy;
	Park Hall Academy;
	Gosforth Junior High Academy;
	Hillyfield Academy;
	Debden Park High School;
	Welling School Academy;
	Caroline Chisholm School;
	Wirral Grammar School for Girls;
	Malmesbury School;
	Bexleyheath Academy;
	Weatherhead High School;
	Salendine Nook High School;
	Harlington Upper School;
	Oasis Academy Brightstowe;
	Oasis Academy Shirley Park;
	South Leeds Academy;
	University Academy Keighley;
	University Academy of Birkenhead;
	The Academy at Shotten Hall;
	The Long Eaton School;
	Wootton Bassett School;
	Prenton High School for Girls;
	Tuxford School;
	Moor End Academy;
	Voyager Academy;
	Barnhill Community High School;
	Samuel Whitbread Community College;
	Lord Lawson of Beamish Community School.

Children in Care: Telephone Services

Edward Timpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consideration he has given to the introduction of a single national advocacy helpline for looked after children.

Tim Loughton: The provision of advocacy support is important for ensuring that the wishes and feelings of children are at the heart of the care system, particularly where they wish to make representations about the quality of the care and support provided by their local authority. A number of different advocacy providers have contracts with local authorities to support looked after children and some of these have telephone helplines.
	While it would not be appropriate for the Government to impose a national helpline on these providers, we are aware that some voluntary sector groups have been discussing whether it would be possible and beneficial for a single helpline to be set up as part of a national advocacy strategy for vulnerable children. We welcome these discussions and hope that they will lead to better provision of advocacy services for looked after children.

Civil Servants: Codes of Practice

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many investigations into breaches by civil servants of the Civil Service Code of Conduct occurred in his Department in each month from May 2010 to March 2012.

Tim Loughton: Departments and their executive agencies are responsible for defining standards of staff conduct and ensuring these fully reflect both the Civil Service Code of Conduct and the Civil Service Management Code. Investigations are initiated when evidence arises that this may not have been the case.
	The Department for Education conducted a total of 19 investigations between May 2010 and March 2012. In each month there were less than five investigations.

Education Funding Agency

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he expects the Education Funding Agency to employ any personnel transferred from (a) his Department and (b) Partnerships for Schools; and how many.

Nick Gibb: The Education Funding Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Education; as such, its staff are employees of the Department rather than of the agency. On 1 April, (a) 30 staff moved into the agency from elsewhere in the Department; and (b) 120 staff from Partnerships for Schools transferred into the Department to work in the agency.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what plans he has for education programmes for children with (a) Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and (b) other alcohol-related disabilities;
	(2)  what support his Department provides to teachers who teach pupils diagnosed with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Sarah Teather: The Government have no plans for introducing specific education programmes for children with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and other alcohol-related disabilities. Decisions about the approaches used to teach children are made by schools.
	The Department for Education has, however, funded the development of materials for schools on teaching children with complex learning difficulties and disabilities, including Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and other alcohol-related disabilities. These were produced by Schools Network (formerly the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust) and are available for schools who wish to use them from the Schools Network website:
	http://complexld.ssatrust.org.uk/
	Online resources that can be used by teachers, trainee teachers and teacher trainers on supporting children with severe and complex needs, including children with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and other alcohol-related disabilities, have been produced by the Training and Development Agency for Schools. These will be available online during April 2012 from the Department for Education's website at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk

Free Schools

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether free schools are permitted to give independent schools priority as feeder schools in their admissions arrangements.

Nick Gibb: All free schools must comply with the Schools Admissions Code. This requires free schools to operate admissions arrangements which are transparent, fair and not complex. Section 1.9 of the code prevents any school, including free schools, from naming fee paying independent schools as feeders.

Free Schools: Teachers

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which free schools employ teachers without Qualified Teacher Status.

Nick Gibb: Free Schools are required to take part in statutory data collection exercises, including the School Workforce Census which collects data on teaching staff. The first such data collection exercises for Free Schools that opened in September 2011 took place this academic year. The resulting data will shortly be published on a regional and local authority basis on the Department's website. School level data will be published later this year.

Further Education: Transport

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 15 November 2011, Official Report, column 685W, on students: transport, whether all local authorities published a transport plan for people of sixth form age for academic year 2011/12; and what assessment he has made of such plans.

Nick Gibb: Every local authority, except one, has now published their transport policy statement. Publication of the outstanding statement is imminent.
	DfE are reviewing a sample of 2011/12 transport policy statements, focusing on changes since the previous year and seeking out examples of good practice. We can share the results with the hon. Member when these are available.

GCSE

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of recent trends in the number of pupils (a) requesting and (b) being granted special consideration enhancements at GCSE.

Nick Gibb: Ofqual analyse and publish statistics on the number of special considerations applied for and accepted in the summer examination series. Ofqual's report and the data for the 2011 series were published in October 2011 and can be found on their website:
	http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/standards/150/366
	The total number of requests for special consideration approved by awarding organisations was 354,200 (2.4% of scripts marked, an increase from 2% in 2010). These numbers relate to both GCE and GCSE examinations—separate figures are not collected.
	Less than 1% of grades are changed as a result of adjustments made because of special consideration.

Higher Education: Part-time Education

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent on financial education for applicants wishing to study higher education courses on a part-time basis since May 2010.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education does not have any such expenditure; higher education applicants fall under the remit of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Maharishi Academy

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department has designated the Maharishi Academy, Lancashire as a religious school.

Nick Gibb: No, Maharishi Free School is not designated as a school with religious character.

Medicine: Education

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to increase the number of students studying medicine.

Anne Milton: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Health.
	The Department of Health and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) periodically review the total number and distribution of undergraduate medical students. The last joint medical review was in 2006 and at that time Ministers concluded that the numbers being trained were about right.
	HEFCE and the Department have agreed that this is an opportune time for a further review of the numbers of medical school places required in the future. Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS Medical Director, and Sir Graeme Catto, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at University of Aberdeen, have agreed to co-chair a review group to oversee this work and make recommendations. Their report is expected in autumn 2012.

Nurses: Training

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to increase the number of students studying nursing.

Anne Milton: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Health.
	Strategic health authorities (SHAs) are responsible for working with higher education institutions and individual health care providers to plan and develop their workforce, as they are best placed to assess the health needs of their local health community and plan the workforce required to deliver services for patients. The SHAs are best placed to commission the education and training programmes, on behalf of providers, to benefit from economies of scale and contract management expertise.
	The new education and training system has been designed to give employers greater autonomy and accountability for planning and developing the workforce. They are best placed to determine the skills and capacity they need, to respond to changes in the way in which services are being delivered, and deliver better care and health improvement outcomes.

Ofsted

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  if it is within Ofsted's remit to share hon. Members' correspondence with an organisation that they are investigating;
	(2)  if Ofsted is required to ensure that their contacts with any person raising concerns about an organisation under their remit will remain confidential.

Nick Gibb: These questions are matters for Ofsted. HM chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of his response has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from Sir Michael Wilshaw, dated 4 () April 2012
	Your recent Parliamentary Question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for response.
	Ofsted's responsibilities include the regulation and inspection of social care establishments and agencies registered under the Care Standards Act 2000, and of childcare providers, registered on the Early Years arid Childcare Registers.
	Once registered, providers, managers and responsible individuals must comply with any conditions placed on their registration and the regulations that apply to each type of provision. Ofsted has a responsibility to ensure that registered providers continue to meet the relevant regulatory requirements.
	Where Ofsted receives information that suggests a provider is not meeting appropriate requirements, we investigate this matter. Where we find non-compliance, there are a number of enforcement steps we can take to bring about compliance, ranging from setting non-statutory actions in a notice to improve, to more serious steps such as cancelling registration altogether.
	Much of our investigation work will be carried out through a visit to the setting where the concern has arisen. Ofsted inspectors have a range of powers they can exercise when carrying out such visits in order to gather the evidence needed to decide on the outcome of the investigation, including interviewing staff, seizing documents and taking photographs.
	We publish on our website the guidance we use for conducting investigations in our Compliance, Investigation and. Enforcement Handbook. This covers how inspectors share with the provider details of the information that suggests non-compliance. In this respect, Ofsted's published handbook; says:
	"Unless it would jeopardise the investigation of the police or another agency, you should:
	advise the registered person or manager that you are carrying out a formal investigation into possible non-compliance
	explain the situation fully, by covering the nature of the information that we have received which led to the visit, and an outline of the investigation process. Be careful and sensitive when discussing the source of the information. Do not confirm or deny any guesses about the identity of the complainant, particularly where that person wishes to remain anonymous
	explain the options for further action, non-statutory and statutory, if there is evidence that the provider is, or has, failed to meet statutory requirements—or the conditions of their registration—which may result in enforcement action."
	The general principle of our policy is that during an investigation we must share sufficient information with the provider to enable them to respond appropriately to our questions about the concern that has been raised with Ofsted.
	The inspector will decide, on a case by case basis, how much information to share with the provider, taking into account the nature of the information given to us, whether it contains personal data that the provider has no need to see, whether it contains confidential matters that ought not to be disclosed to the provider, and the extent to which other agencies have requested us not to share particular information which might jeopardise their own investigation.
	Inspectors use their professional judgement in deciding how much information they need to give the provider about the complaint. Some inspectors will read the complaint, word for word, to the provider; others may give a more general description of the nature of the complaint.
	A copy of this reply will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Primary Education: Admissions

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many vacant primary school places there are in (a) Haltemprice and Howden constituency, (b) East Riding of Yorkshire, (c) Yorkshire and Humber and (d) England in the last five years for which information is available.

Nick Gibb: The Department collects information from each local authority (LA) on the number of available and unfilled primary school places through an annual survey. The survey results are published at local authority and at school level but are not available by constituency. The most recent survey data relates to the position at May 2011 and is available at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STR/d001050/index.shtml
	The results of the 2010 survey are available at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STR/d000982/index.shtml
	The annual survey results prior to 2010 are only available at LA level and are not published on the Department's website. A copy of the 2007, 2008 and 2009 results have been placed in the House Libraries.

Procurement

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many contracts his Department had with (a) Capita and (b) Serco in the last 12 months.

Tim Loughton: The Department had the following main contracts with Capita in the last 12 months:
	the managed delivery of the Teachers' Pension scheme;
	the delivery of the National Strategies programme;
	the managed service for the provision of interim personnel;
	the Criminal Records Bureau checking service; and
	professional service to support sponsored academies, free schools, university technical colleges (UTCs) and studio schools in the pre-opening stages.
	The Department had the following three contracts with Serco in the last 12 months:
	professional service delivery to give support to the child poverty work focus services pilots;
	support for the delivery of short breaks for disabled children and their families; and
	professional services supporting the development of children's centres and the modernisation of services for children and their families.
	A complete answer on the total number of contracts with Capita and Serco could be supplied only at disproportionate cost as the Department does not hold a central record of all its contracts.

Pupil Exclusions: Essex

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students were permanently excluded from school in (a) Witham constituency and (b) Essex in the 2010-11 school year.

Nick Gibb: Information on exclusions for the 2010/11 academic year is still being collected and will be available in the summer. Information on the number of permanent exclusions in Witham parliamentary constituency and Essex local authority in 2009/10 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools (1,) () (2,) () (3) , number of permanent exclusions (4) , Essex local authority and Witham parliamentary constituency 
			  2009/10 
			  Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of school population (5) 
			 Essex local authority 80 0.04 
			 Witham parliamentary constituency * * 
			 * = Less than 5, or a percentage based on less than 5. (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies (including all-through academies). (3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (4) Local authority figures were confirmed by local authorities as part of a data checking exercise, figures for the constituency are as provided by schools. (5) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils (excluding dually registered pupils) at January 2010. Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: School Census 
		
	
	The latest data on exclusions was published in the 'Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools in England 2009/10' Statistical First Release on 28 July 2011 at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001016/index.shtml

Schools: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to improve the quality of school buildings in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education provides capital funding to all local authorities for investment in school buildings. It is the responsibility of Birmingham city council to prioritise the available funds across the schools in its estate.
	On 19 July 2011 we announced the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP). The Department is nearing the end of its verification of applications received and schools that applied, including those in Ladywood, will know the outcome of their bids soon.
	On 13 December 2011 we announced capital allocations to schools and local authorities for 2012-13, including £36 million for Birmingham city council. The council and its schools were allocated £44 million for 2011-12.

Schools: Finance

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what the (a) number of assessment criteria, (b) frequency of evaluation and (c) volume of accompanying evidence required is in respect of the (i) financial management and governance evaluation and (ii) former financial management standard in schools;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to academies of completing a financial management and governance evaluation;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the Young Person's Learning Agency of collecting and collating financial management and governance evaluations from academies.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 26 March 2012
	The Financial Management and Governance Evaluation (FMGE) is an annual return which academies are required to make to the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA). It is designed to provide the YPLA with assurance that academy trusts have adequate financial systems and internal controls for the whole of the academic year. It is a self-assessment return which was introduced by the YPLA in 2010-11. It superseded financial monitoring visits undertaken by DfE/YPLA to all academies on opening.
	The FMGE is also intended to be useful to academies in that it provides an important source of evidence and assurance to the academy trust in their responsibilities for monitoring and accounting for public money. It also enables individual academies to identify strengths and weaknesses in their arrangements and to make improvements where required.
	There are two forms of return; a full return is aimed at new academies to help give them assurance that they are meeting their new obligations and a shorter return, which is more appropriate for established single academies. There are 68 questions in the short return and 154 in the full version. Academies are asked to assess themselves against questions covering (1) requirements and (2) best practice and the questions are grouped into five categories. This leads to an overall self-assessed grade. Some of the FMGE returns are subject to an external validation process by the YPLA. Academies are not required to supply evidence supporting their FMGE return to the YPLA, although if an academy is selected for a subsequent validation visit by the YPLA external assurance team they will be asked to produce evidence.
	The Financial Management Standard in Schools (FMSiS), which was abolished in November 2010, had 102 assessment criteria and was evaluated once every three years. The volume of accompanying evidence was not prescribed centrally but requirements could be set by each local authority. FMSiS has now been replaced for maintained schools by the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS).
	The YPLA has not estimated the cost to academies of completing the FMGE return and does not record the time spent and cost of collating FMGE returns.

Schools: Sanitation

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what parameters will be set against which parents and pupils may judge whether school toilets and washing facilities meet a suitable standard as proposed in the School Premises Regulations;
	(2)  if he will make standards for school toilets and washing facilities equivalent to those for facilities in the workplace by incorporating requirements from the Workplace Regulations into the new School Premises Regulations.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 26 March 2012
	The proposed School Premises Regulations stress that suitable toilet and washing facilities must be provided for the sole use of pupils, having regard to their ages, number, sex and any special requirements they may have. The regulations will be supported by supplementary information and guidance. This is still being developed to take account of views expressed in the recent consultation on the standards for school premises which closed in January, but it will contain sufficient detail so that parents, pupils and school staff, may judge whether school toilets and washing facilities meet the standards set.
	The Workplace Regulations cover employees and therefore apply to the toilet and washing facilities in schools used by teachers and other staff. Some of their requirements will be included in the supplementary information and guidance covering toilet and washing facilities for pupils.

Schools: Sanitation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of the standard of school washing facilities; and what assessment it has made of the potential effects of such standards on infection control in schools.

Nick Gibb: A number of organisations have carried out studies in these areas, and did send details of these amongst the responses to the consultation on the proposed new School Premises Regulations. All responses are currently being analysed and relevant evidence will be taken into account when finalising the requirements for school washing facilities.

Schools: Sanitation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if his Department will include clear requirements for soap and drying facilities in the forthcoming revision of the School Premises Regulations for the purposes of setting the same standards for children as adult employees.

Nick Gibb: The proposed regulation for toilet and washing facilities within the draft School Premises Regulations recently consulted upon does not include specific requirements for soap and drying facilities. Views were sought on whether the proposed wording of the regulation adequately covers requirements. We will be taking account of where respondents consider that detail is lacking, or that the regulation could be simplified, prior to finalising the standard.

Schools: Sanitation

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of studies on the provision of toilet paper, locking cubicles and toilet seats in school toilets; and whether the new School Premises Regulations will include requirements in these areas that are equivalent to standards for adult employees in the Workplace Regulations.

Nick Gibb: As part of the consultation on the proposed premises standards, the Department has considered studies in these areas, the largest of which was carried out in 2003. These were referred to by several organisations in their responses to the consultation.
	The proposed regulation on school toilet and washing facilities does not include requirements for the provision of toilet paper, locking cubicles or toilet seats, all of which are included in the Approved Code of Practice accompanying the Workplace Regulations. Views were sought on the wording of the proposed regulation, and an assessment of the responses will be included in the consultation report. This will be published on the Department's website in due course.

Schools: Sanitation

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of the effects of removing the requirement for schools to provide a minimum number of toilets for a given number of pupils.

Nick Gibb: The proposed new School Premises Regulations do not include set ratios of toilets to numbers of pupils, but they do say that suitable facilities must be provided for the sole use of pupils, having regard to, among other factors, their number.
	Views were sought on the proposed regulation. Such views, and any relevant evidence submitted, will be taken into account before the regulation is finalised and an assessment of the responses will be included in the consultation report.

Schools: Sanitation

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps are being taken to improve school toilets.

Nick Gibb: Where steps are needed to improve school toilets, they need to be taken at a school level. One of our objectives in revising the current School Premises Regulations was to produce a clear and easily understandable set of requirements. This should make it easier for schools to assess how satisfactory their toilets are, and to ensure that they do meet the new standards.

Sure Start Programme

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what data his Department gather on participation in Sure Start programmes (a) overall, (b) in each region and (c) of each socio-economic or income group.

Sarah Teather: The Department does not routinely gather information about use of children's centres. However the Evaluation of Children's Centres in England (ECCE) is interviewing parents who use children's centres about which services they participate in and their family circumstances. The evaluation will provide service use estimates at national level for various groups including different socio-demographic and income classifications. Owing to the design of the evaluation the estimate will relate only to Sure Start children's centres serving the most deprived areas. The first report will be published at the end of December 2012. Following surveys will assess the impact of centre services on families' outcomes.

Teachers: Trade Unions

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on local education authorities reclaiming resources from a school's budget for trade union activities by teachers.

Nick Gibb: Under current arrangements, it is a matter for local authorities, in consultation with their Schools Forums, to decide what funding, if any, should be made available to support the cover needed for teachers engaged in trade union activities. The Government intend to review facilities time across the public services.

Tourette’s Syndrome

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he plans to take to improve the educational attainment of children with Tourette's syndrome; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 26 March 2012
	Tourette's Syndrome is an inherited neurological condition and, we know from research, is more common in children with SEN than in the general population. The Department is not carrying out any projects targeted specifically at children and young people with this syndrome. However, the Government are committed to improving the attainment of all children, including those with SEN and mental health problems and acknowledge the links to good academic outcomes and later life chances. Trying to control Tourette's Syndrome in the classroom can cause a great deal of stress for children and young people with the syndrome and this can impede their learning. SEN modules for initial teacher training produced by the Training and Development Agency for schools emphasise the importance of recognising and understanding Tourette's and not reacting to children's tics in the classroom. We are driving forward work to improve the attainment of all children with SEN and will shortly be publishing our response to “Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability—A consultation”.
	The Department is also working closely with the Department of Health on the implementation of the Mental Health Strategy, “No health without mental health”. The strategy includes a specific strand of work to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination, which we know can be a significant issue for children and young people who are living with this syndrome.

Vocational Guidance

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to publish draft statutory guidance on careers guidance.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The Education Act 2011 places schools under a duty to secure access to independent and impartial careers guidance on the full range of 16-18 education and training options for pupils in years 9-11. Statutory guidance was published on the Department for Education website on 26 March to support schools in preparing for the introduction of the new duty from this September.
	http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/participation/g00205755/statutory-guidance-for-schools-careers-guidance-for-young-people

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many contracts Vodafone has been awarded by his Department in the last 12 months.

Tim Loughton: I can confirm that the Department awarded one contract to Vodafone in the last 12 months, for the provision of mobile voice and data telecommunications services.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what contracts his Department has with Vodafone.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education has one contract with Vodafone for the provision of mobile voice and data telecommunications services.

West Exe Technology College

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what due diligence has been conducted into governance at West Exe Technology college, Exeter since the school's Academy status was given initial approval in January 2011;
	(2)  what guidance his Department issues to (a) schools and (b) school heads on employment of family members;
	(3)  when his Department was first made aware of the concerns of Devon Education Authority about governance and decision making at West Exe Technology college; and what steps his Department took in response to such concerns;
	(4)  what guidance his Department issues to schools on (a) company cars and (b) other benefits for staff.

Nick Gibb: West Exe Technology college's application for academy status received initial approval on the basis that the school satisfied the Department's criteria. The factors which were taken into account to initially approve the application to convert were based on:
	the school's last three years exam results and the general performance trend;
	comparisons, both locally and nationally, with exam performance in similar schools, i.e. the percentage of pupils making expected progress in KS2-4 in secondary schools;
	the last Ofsted inspections, taking particular notice of the school's capacity to improve; its outcomes; and the effectiveness of the leadership team;
	other evidence of performance which the school considered to be significant; and
	the financial management of the school, including any deficits.
	As part of the conversion process we would expect matters that could impact on conversion to come to light as the Department works with the school and the local council towards conversion, which is what has happened in the case of this school.
	Governing bodies are responsible and accountable for all major decisions about the school and its future. In carrying out its duties the governing body of West Exe Technology College has sought advice and support from the Devon county council in respect of the conversion process and on matters relating to pay.
	The pay and conditions of teachers in maintained schools are set out in the “School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document” (STPCD). Under these arrangements we look to local authorities and governing bodies to implement the statutory requirements of the STPCD. The STPCD includes guidance to help schools with these matters and the Department for Education also provides more general help with employment issues in its “Guidance on managing staff employment in schools”.
	Schools are also governed by employment and equalities legislation. These apply to the appointment of all staff and any benefits governing bodies decide to provide in addition to what is covered by the STPCD.

HEALTH

Abortion

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of repeat abortions performed on (a) married and (b) unmarried women aged (i) under 16, (ii) under 18, (iii) 18 or 19, (iv) between 20 and 29, (v) between 30 and 34 and (vi) 35 years and over in each primary care trust area in (A) 2010, (B) 2011 and (C) the latest period for which figures are available in 2012.

Anne Milton: The available information is provided in tables, which have been placed in the Library. The first shows repeat abortions by age but not marital status. The second table shows repeat abortions by age and marital status.
	Abortion statistics for 2011 will be published in May 2012 and 2012 data will be published in 2013.

Air Ambulance Services

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the (a) clinical and (b) operational standards for air ambulance services.

Simon Burns: The Department has no policy on clinical or operational standards for air ambulance services. In England air ambulances are run independently, funded by charitable organisations and regulated independently by the Care Quality Commission.

Alcoholic Drinks and Drugs: Rehabilitation

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support his Department is giving to drug and alcohol rehabilitation schemes in the community.

Anne Milton: The Department is providing primary care trusts (PCTs) with central funding of £466.7 million for drug treatment in 2012-13. Alcohol interventions and services are funded by the general allocation that PCTs receive from the Department. It is the responsibility of PCTs to assess the needs of their communities, to agree what to prioritise, and to commission services.
	We have provided guidance to support local commissioning and delivery of services to tackle dependence on drugs and alcohol. As highlighted in the Government's Drug Strategy, a 'whole systems' approach means developing close links between providers of community, in-patient and residential treatment and rehabilitation services.
	We have also provided support to eight drug and alcohol action teams in England to develop payment by results (PbR) models for a pilot to explore how PbR might further incentivise drug and alcohol treatment and recovery.

Ambulance Services: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of (a) ambulances and (b) rapid response vehicles in Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many such vehicles are on duty at any one time.

Simon Burns: The information requested is not held by the Department. Decisions on the location and level of ambulance and rapid response vehicle provision is a matter for the local ambulance trust. The Department has made no estimate of the number of such vehicles in the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency.
	The hon. Member may wish to approach the chief executive of North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, which might hold this information.

Art Works

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on artworks in the last 12 months.

Simon Burns: The Department has spent nil on purchasing artworks in the last 12 months.

Autism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support his Department provides to families with autistic children.

Paul Burstow: The Department has worked closely with the Department for Education on their Green Paper, ‘Support and Aspiration: A new approach to special education needs and disability—a Consultation’, which was published in March 2011. The Green Paper set out proposals to improve provision for families where a child or young person has special education needs, including autism or a disability. Suggested reforms include a single assessment process, covering health, education and social care needs and the option of a personal health budget, which will help give children, young people and their families more control and choice about the support they receive.
	Government also recognise the vital contribution that carers make to society, and have taken action to support them. We set out our priorities in ‘Recognised, valued and supported, next steps for the Carers Strategy’, in November 2010 and are providing additional funding of £400 million to the national health service between 2011 and 2015 for carers' breaks. Over £800 million is being given to local authorities by the Government for the delivery of short breaks for carers including families of children with conditions such as autism.
	On 26 January 2012, we launched the Children and Young People's Health Outcomes Strategy, which aims to maximise health outcomes that matter the most to children, young people their families and the professionals that support them. It will also show how all parts of the health system, with partners, will contribute to enabling every child and young person to reach their full potential.

Blood Diseases

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been diagnosed with a disease that is characterised by (a) excessive and (b) insufficient angiogenesis in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	.
	It is well established in the published medical literature that angiogenesis plays a key role in the growth and spread of cancer. However, excessive and insufficient angiogenesis is not routinely recorded on individual cancer registrations and therefore the information requested is not available as a National Statistic.
	The latest published figures on the incidence of cancer in England are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/all-releases.html?definition=tcm%3A77-27451

Breast Cancer

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what proportion of mammogram screenings for women who are under 50, pre menopausal and have dense breasts were analysed digitally in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the detection rate for mammograms are for breast tissue classified as (a) fatty replaced, (b) scattered density, (c) heterogeneously dense and (d) extremely dense.

Paul Burstow: The report ‘Breast Screening Programme, England 2010-11’, published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre on 22 March 2012, shows that a total of 81,294 women aged 45 to 49 were screened in 2010-11, and that in April 2010, 29 out of 80 screening services were fully converted to digital technology. Since this date, there has been a significant increase in the number of digital screening systems in use and 48 out of 80 services have how implemented the technology.
	Statistical reporting for NHS Breast Screening Programme does not record whether women were screened using film or digital systems, breast density or breast tissue type.

Breast Cancer

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether data on breast density are routinely monitored and collected by GPs.

Paul Burstow: Data on breast density are not routinely collected and monitored by general practitioners.

Breast Cancer: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of women in Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency with suspected breast cancer saw a specialist within two weeks in each of the last five years.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not hold cancer waiting times data in the format requested.
	Information on patients referred urgently by their general practitioner for all suspected cancers within Cumbria Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) for the period April to December 2011 (quarters 1, 2 and 3 2011-12) is shown in the following table:
	
		
			    All cancer two week wait (operational standard: 93%)—Cumbria Teaching PCT 
			 Quarter (2011-12) Total number of patients seen Total number seen within two weeks Performance (percentage seen within two weeks) 
			 01 2,884 2,733 94.8 
			 Q2 3,034 2,846 93.8 
			 03 2,834 2,707 95.5 
			 Note: These data are available on the Department's website at the following address: http://transparency.dh.gov.uk/2012/03/23/cwt-april-to-december-2011/ Source: Commissioner-based quarterly cancer waiting times statistics.

Cancer

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2012, Official Report, column 733, on cancer care: for what reasons one year cancer survival rates have been listed as a potential indicator and not a current indicator in the Commissioning Outcomes Framework.

Paul Burstow: In February 2012, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published for consultation a set of draft indicators for the Commissioning Outcomes Framework (COF). The consultation said that the one-year cancer survival indicators were not expected to be technically feasible for measurement at clinical commissioning group population level for 2013-14.
	Further work is being undertaken to assess whether the issues around technical feasibility can be addressed so that the NICE COF advisory committee can consider the indicators in May. In making its recommendations, the committee will need to consider the validity and reliability of the indicators at clinical commissioning group population level. It will then be for the NHS Commissioning Board to decide which indicators to select for the COF.

Cancer

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on (a) treatment of cancer and (b) advice on prevention of cancer in each year for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: In the following table, programme budgeting data for the estimated national health service expenditure (£ billion) on the treatment and management of cancers and tumours in the last five, years have been provided. Expenditure figures are from estimated England level programme budgeting data, which are calculated using primary care trust and strategic health authority programme budgeting returns and Department resource accounts data. Figures also include an estimation of special health authority expenditure. Expenditure on some service areas or activities is excluded if it is not possible to make a reasonable estimation of expenditure by specific disease area. For this reason expenditure on general practitioner services, diagnostics and some out-patient services are excluded from estimates of expenditure on cancers and tumours.
	In order to improve data quality, continual refinements have been made to the programme budgeting data calculation methodology since the first collection in 2003-04. The underlying data which support programme budgeting data are also subject to yearly changes. Programme budgeting data cannot be used to analyse changes in investment in specific service areas between years and it should be noted that significant changes to the data calculation methodology were introduced in 2010-11.
	
		
			 Programme budgeting c ategory : C ancers and tumours 
			  Gross expenditure (£ billion) 
			 2003-04 3.39 
			 2004-05 3.77 
			 2005-06 4.30 
			 2006-07 4.35 
			 2007-08 4.96 
			 2008-09 5.13 
			 2009-10 5.86 
			 2010-11 5.81 
		
	
	The Department funds a wide range of campaigns to provide advice on healthy living, many of which promote lifestyle advice relevant to reducing the risk cancer. However, the only campaign that could be described as providing specific advice on the prevention of cancer is SunSmart.
	SunSmart is the national skin cancer prevention campaign run on behalf of the UK Health Departments by Cancer Research UK. The Department has contributed £500,000 in funding to the campaign for 2011-12 and this money has supported the production and distribution of educational materials, a schools campaign, helped local providers working on skin cancer prevention and delivered a major targeted marketing campaign in conjunction with the popular music festival ‘T4 on the Beach’. Spend in previous years on SunSmart can be found in the following table:
	
		
			 SunSmart 
			  £ 
			 2004-05 72,000 
			 2005-06 145,000 
			 2006-07 150,000 
			 2007-08 104,000 
			 2008-09 110,000 
			 2009-10 615,000

Cancer

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the current survival rates for (a) metastatic kidney, (b) multiple myeloma, (c) metastatic colorectal, (d) gastrointestinal stromal tumour, (e) metastatic liver, (f) metastatic lung and (g) metastatic breast cancer when treated by (i) chemotherapy, (ii) radiation and (iii) surgery; and if he will estimate how such survival rates would be affected by coupling such treatments with angiogenesis.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	.
	Detailed information about levels of metastasis, treatment of individual cancer cases and angiogenesis are not routinely recorded on individual cancer registrations sent to ONS for processing and publishing as National Statistics. For this reason, it is not possible to:
	1.) provide survival rates for metastatic cancers when treated by (i) chemotherapy, (ii) radiation and (iii) surgery
	2.) estimate how survival rates would be affected by coupling such treatments with angiogenesis
	ONS publish one and five-year cancer relative survival (percentage) in England, for the 21 common cancers. Gastrointestinal stromal tumour and liver cancer are not one of the 21 common cancers, therefore survival figures for these cancers are not routinely available.
	Table 1 provides the latest one and five-year survival figures available for males and females in England, for (a) kidney, (b) myeloma, (c) colorectal, (f) lung and (g) breast cancer.
	The latest published figures on cancer survival in England are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/all-releases.html?definition=tcm%3A77-21521
	
		
			 Table 1: One and five-year relative survival  (%)  for males and females (aged 15 to 99) diagnosed with cancer in England, for the period 2005-09 and followed up to 2010 (1, 2, 3) 
			  Males Females 
			  One-year survival Five-year survival One-year survival Five-year survival 
			  % 95% CI % 95% CI % 95% CI % 95% CI 
			 Kidney 71.5 70.9 72.1 53.3 52.3 54.4 71.4 70.5 72.2 54.8 53.5 56.0 
			 Myeloma 70.4 69.5 71.3 37.1 35.5 38.8 72.3 71.3 73.3 37.1 35.4 38.8 
			 Colorectal 75.0 74.7 75.3 54.2 53.6 54.8 74.0 73.6 74.3 55.6 55.0 56.2 
			 Lung 29.4 29.1 29.8 8.2 7.9 8.5 33.0 32.7 33.4 (4)9.3 9.0 9.7 
		
	
	
		
			 Breast — — — — — — 95.8 95.7 95.9 85.1 84.8 85.4 
			 (1) Relative survival is the probability of survival (shown here as a percentage) after correction for other causes of death. (2) Because cancer survival varies with age at diagnosis, the summary survival estimates for all ages combined (15 to 99 years) have been age-standardised to control for changes in the age profile of cancer patients over time. (3) Kidney cancer is defined by the International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10) code C64-C66, G68, myeloma is defined as ICD-10 code C90, colorectal cancer is defined as ICD-10 code C18-C20, C21.8, lung cancer is defined as ICD-10 code C33-C34 and breast cancer is defined as ICD-10 code C50. (4) It is not possible to give an age-standardised figure if there are too few patients in a given age group to provide a reliable survival estimate or if very few patients actually died in one of the intervals of time since diagnosis in which survival was estimated. That may happen because survival is very high (there are very few deaths) or because it is very low (most of the patients died). These figures refer to the unstandardised survival.

Cancer

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2012, Official Report, columns 109-11W, on cancer: health services, 
	(1)  for what reasons his Department does not collect data on cancer that would allow it to identify instances of the disease, patient numbers and expenditure on treatment broken down by geographical area;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to measure the annual NHS spend on cancer since the publication of the Cancer Reform Strategy in 2007.

Paul Burstow: National cancer spend is measured annually via the programme budgeting returns and we are continually looking to improve data quality. Commissioner level programme budgeting data are also published annually in the form of a benchmarking tool that enables commissioners to identify how they spend their allocation over 23 disease categories, including cancer, and compare this with other commissioners. National programme budgeting data are published on the Department's website alongside the commissioners toolkit at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganisation/Financeandplanning/Programmebudgeting/DH_075743
	In “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January 2011, we highlighted the vital role that information has to play in driving up the quality of services and outcomes and we are committed to improving the quality, transparency and availability of cancer data. In August 2011, the Department and the National Cancer Action Team published the “Radiotherapy Dataset First Annual Report” to help tackle unwarranted variation in radiotherapy services. From April 2012 we are also mandating the collection of chemotherapy data. In time, these data collections will enable us to undertake more sophisticated analyses around the cost of cancer treatment.
	Through the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) we are also supporting work to link existing data sets to develop new insights into cancer services and outcomes. During 2011, the NCIN published 18 new reports and data briefings that are helping providers benchmark their services against one another and to identify where improvements need to be made.
	In December 2011, in partnership with the NCIN, we published the Cancer Intelligence Framework. The Framework sets out plans to address existing gaps in cancer intelligence and highlights specific areas where the costing of cancer care needs to be improved, such as chemotherapy..
	The Framework also reports that the NCIN has already run a workshop bringing together leading national and international experts on health economics and will be developing a programme of partnership working to develop and publish information and intelligence on the health economics of cancer. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.
	In “Improving Outcomes a Strategy for Cancer: First Annual Report”, published on 13 December 2011, we have said that continuing to provide the NHS with benchmarked data on variations in services and outcomes as a lever for improvements is a priority for 2012.

Christmas

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Christmas trees were purchased by his Department and each of its public bodies in each of the last two years; what the cost was of those trees in each year; from where the trees were sourced; what account was taken of the sustainability of the sources of the trees; and by what process the trees were disposed of.

Simon Burns: In 2010 and 2011, no Christmas trees were purchased by the Department nor most of its public bodies. The exceptions were as follows:
	The Health Protection Agency purchased one tree in 2010 for its Leeds office, costing £25;
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence purchased an artificial tree in 2011 costing £50;
	The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency purchased an artificial tree in 2010 costing £65.97;
	NHS Blood and Transplant purchased six Christmas trees, natural and artificial in both 2010 and 2011. The cost was £373.94 in 2010 and £416.20 in 2011; and
	The Care Quality Commission purchased one artificial tree in 2010 for its London office and another in 2011 for its Nottingham office. The total cost was £79.98.
	The trees were sourced from a number of high street and local retailers and where possible from sustainable sources. Artificial trees have been retained for use in future years and, where facilities exist, natural trees were recycled.

Civil Servants: Codes of Practice

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many investigations into breaches by civil servants of the Civil Service Code of Conduct occurred in his Department in each month from May 2010 to March 2012.

Simon Burns: There have been five or fewer investigations into breaches of the Civil Service Code. These have been launched under the Department's whistleblowing policy since May 2010.

Cystic Fibrosis

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average life expectancy was for a person with cystic fibrosis (a) in 1982, (b) in 1987, (c) in 1992, (d) in 1997, (e) in 2001, (f) in 2005, (g) in 2010 and (h) on the most recent date for which figures are available; and whether his Department has estimated the likely life expectancy in (i) 2015, (ii) 2020 and (iii) 2025.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the average life expectancy was for a person with cystic fibrosis (a) in 1982, (b) in 1987, (c) in 1992, (d) in 1997, (e) in 2001, (f) in 2005, (g) in 2010 and (h) on the most recent date for which figures are available; and whether there is an estimated likely life expectancy in (i) 2015, (ii) 2020 and (iii) 2025. (102309)
	It is not possible provide estimates of life expectancy for persons who are diagnosed with cystic fibrosis from routine death registration data since when a person is diagnosed with a condition is not recorded on the death certificate.
	The Cystic Fibrosis Trust maintains the UK Cystic Fibrosis Registry, an anonymous database of all those diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in the UK. Mean predicted survival and median age at death figures are published in the latest annual report from the registry which is available to download from the Cystic Fibrosis Trust website:
	www.cftrust.org.uk/aboutus/what_we_do/care/ukcfregistry

Darent Valley Hospital

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors, (b) nurses, (c) midwives and (d) staff were employed at Darent Valley hospital in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: The information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): doctors, nurses, midwives and all other staff in Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust (1) (, 2) , as at 30 September each year 
			 Headcount 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 (3) 2011 (3) 
			 HCHS medical and dental doctors 233 233 247 270 255 
			       
			 HCHS non-medical staff 1,670 1,719 1,722 1,865 1,991 
			       
			 Professionally qualified clinical staff 903 919 924 1,005 1,099 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 668 666 659 746 830 
			 Of which:      
		
	
	
		
			 Midwives 90 100 110 133 137 
			 Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff (ST&T) 234 252 264 258 267 
			 Qualified ambulance service staff 1 1 1 1 2 
			       
			 Support to clinical staff 546 567 570 612 687 
			 Support to doctors and nursing staff 424 434 442 485 534 
			 Support to ST&T staff 106 115 113 113 139 
			 Support to ambulance staff 16 18 15 14 14 
			       
			 NHS infrastructure support 217 229 224 246 205 
			 Central functions 141 144 149 166 124 
			 Hotel, property and estates 20 18 17 19 18 
			 Managers and senior managers 56 67 58 61 63 
			       
			 Other staff or those with unknown classification 4 4 4 4 — 
			 (1) Darent Valley hospital is managed by Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust. (2) Census data is collected at NHS trust level not individual hospital level. Darent Valley hospital is contained within Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust. (3) The new headcount methodology is not fully comparable with data for years prior to 2010, due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the census publication. Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. A few NHS organisations existed within the electronic staff records database with small numbers of staff as a result of the impact of Transforming Community Services and the resultant system mergers and demergers which were still ongoing at the time of the 2011 census. Note: Data Quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where changes impact on figures already published, this is assessed but unless it is significant at national level, figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Sources: Health and Social Care Information Centre Medical and Dental Workforce Census. Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census.

Dental Services

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) requirements and (b) guidelines his Department has put in place in respect of weekend provision of dental services; and who is responsible for providing such services.

Simon Burns: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for ensuring out of hours urgent care services are available in their area. They contract with local high-street dental practices and/or the community dental service to deliver this care. PCTs are required by regulation to ensure out of hours services are available. This is part of their general legal duty to commission dental services to meet local need.

Diabetes: Leicester

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people with diabetes in Leicester Primary Care Trust had kidney failure in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2006-07;
	(2)  how many people with diabetes in Leicester Primary Care Trust had a stroke in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2006-07.

Paul Burstow: The information is not available in the format requested. Participation in the National Diabetes Audit (NDA), which audits diabetes registrations in primary and secondary care, is not mandatory. NDA in 2009-10 comprised data from 1,929,985 persons with diabetes and 6,507 practices in England. Quality Outcomes Framework data are an aggregate return and do not contain the detail required to respond to this question. Growth in numbers of registrations in NDA needs to be assessed in the context of the growth in coverage for the audit.
	The prevalence rate (%) of strokes and renal failure among diabetic patients registrations included in the NDA is given in the following table:
	
		
			   Registrations to the NDA Stroke prevalence (%) Renal failure prevalence (%) 
			 2009-10 Leicester City Primary Care Trust (PCV) 19,094 0.82 0.51 
			  Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 26,032 0.82 0.34 
			  England 1,929,985 0.69 0.38 
			      
			 2006-07 Leicester City PCT 12,105 0.36 0.27 
			  Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 14,219 0.41 0.23 
			  England 1,221,814 0.44 0.29 
			 Source: National Diabetes Audit and linked one year Hospital Episode Statistics data

Diabetes: Research

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 31 October 2011, Official Report, column 451W, on diabetes: research, if he will place in the Library data on National Institute for Health Research spending on diabetes in 2010-11.

Paul Burstow: Expenditure by the National Institute for Health Research in 2010-11 on diabetes research was £23.8 million.

Dietary Supplements

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many illnesses attributable to the use of food supplements were recorded in the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Government do not keep central records of illnesses attributed to the use of food supplements.
	Food supplements are regulated under food law, and must be safe for .human consumption and meet specific compositional and labelling requirements under European Directive 2002/46/EC. Local Authority Trading Standards and Environmental Health Departments are responsible for ensuring businesses comply with the law and that products posing a risk to public health are removed from the market.

Diets

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of poor diets to the NHS.

Anne Milton: The latest estimate of the cost of poor diet was made by Scarborough and colleagues (2011) in their paper, ‘The economic burden of ill health due to diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and obesity in the UK: an update to 2006-07 NHS costs’. This analysis showed that poor diet related health cost the NHS £5.8 billion in 2006-07.

Disability Aids: Communication

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the commissioning arrangements for augmentative and alternative communication aids.

Simon Burns: No separate assessment has been made.
	Alternative and Augmentative Communication Aid Services are incorporated into definition five (Assessment and Provision of Equipment for People with Complex Physical Disabilities (all ages)) of the Specialised Services National Definitions Set.
	The Health and Social Care Act enables the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) to take responsibility for commissioning specialised services which are currently commissioned at both a national and regional level and as informed by the Specialised Services National Definitions Set.
	No final decisions have yet been taken over which services will be directly commissioned by the NHS CB. Ministers expect to be able to confirm this later in the year after consultation with the NHS CB.

Disciplinary Proceedings

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of his Department's officials have (a) been reprimanded and (b) had their contract of employment terminated in the last two years.

Simon Burns: 10 departmental officials were reprimanded in 2010 and seven were reprimanded in 2011. No officials have had their contract of employment terminated for the past two calendar years.
	We have defined "reprimanded" as being either a first written warning or as the issuing of a formal improvement note.

Diseases

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many (a) males and (b) females in each age group in (i) Essex, (ii) Southend West constituency and (iii) England and Wales had (A) cystic fibrosis, (B) muscular dystrophy, (C) severe asthma, (D) primary cilary dyskinesia and (E) other rare lung diseases in each of the last five years for which information is available;
	(2)  how many (a) males and (b) females in each (i) age group and (ii) local authority area had (A) cystic fibrosis, (B) muscular dystrophy, (C) severe asthma, (D) primary cilary dyskinesia and (E) another rare lung disease in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Paul Burstow: The information is not held in the format requested. The NHS Information Centre has provided data showing finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy and asthma broken down by gender and age, 2006-07 to 2010-11. Following clinical coding advice, it is not possible to provide any data specifically for severe asthma, primary cilary dyskinesia or another rare lung disease. A copy of the information has been placed in the Library.

Doctors: Training

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to increase the number of doctors specialising in endocrinology;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to increase the number of doctors specialising in geriatrics;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to increase the number of doctors specialising in neurology;
	(4)  what steps he is taking to increase the number of doctors specialising in radiology;
	(5)  what steps he is taking to increase the number of doctors specialising in cardiology;
	(6)  what steps he is taking to increase the number of doctors specialising in immunology.

Anne Milton: The Postgraduate Medical Specialty Training Numbers Joint Working Group (JWG) which is part of the Medical Education England advisory structure, recommends and reviews the postgraduate medical speciality training numbers. This is an annual review of proposals from the service for specialty training posts in programmes that provide training to consultant level.
	The Centre for Workforce Intelligence (CfWI) is commissioned to advise which specialties are at risk of over or undersupply and identify geographical imbalances in supply, making recommendations on the number of training posts in each specialty. During 2011, the CfWI published a series of fact and summary sheets which supported the “Shape of the Medical Workforce: Informing Medical Specialty Training Numbers” report that made recommendations on the number of training posts in each specialty available at:
	www.cfwi.org.uk/publications/medical-shape-2011
	Working with health care employers and the CfWI, the JWG will develop planning guidance for 2013 and the document will be published in June 2013. This will include recommendations of steady state, increases or decreases in the number of training posts by individual specialty.

Drugs

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to support the pharmaceutical industry and its domestic supply chain.

Simon Burns: “Strategy for UK Life Sciences” launched in December 2011, alongside the NHS chief executive’s review “Innovation, health and wealth, accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS” sets out a range of measures which the Government will undertake to strengthen the environment for life sciences including pharmaceutical companies, in the United Kingdom.

Drugs: Prices

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that agreements with pharmaceutical companies and prescribers provide the same pricing policy for foundation trusts and those prescribers in primary care; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: National arrangements are in place for setting the prices of medicines across the national health service. In addition, pharmaceutical companies may offer discounts or other arrangements to the local NHS as long as these do not contravene any aspect of the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme or any relevant legal provisions. Decisions on whether to participate in such arrangements and the terms on which they are offered are matters for the relevant pharmaceutical companies and the local NHS.

Eating Disorders

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) children and (b) adults were admitted to hospital for a suspected eating disorder in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) the latest period for which figures are available in 2012.

Paul Burstow: The information requested is given in the table.
	
		
			 Finished admission episodes (1)  with a primary diagnosis of eating disorders (2)  by age, from years 2009-10 to 2011-12 (3) —Activity in English national health service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			  0-17 years 18 years and over Unknown age Total for year 
			 2009-10 801 1,263 3 2,067 
			 2010-11 798 1,165 0 1,963 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12(3) 705 787 0 1,492 
			 Notes: 1. A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics dataset and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. ICD10 code used is F50 = eating disorders. 3. The data for 2011-12 are provisional, covers the period April 2011 to November 2011, and may contain errors for which no adjustments have yet been made. Counts produced from provisional data are likely to be lower than those generated for the same period in the final dataset. This shortfall will be most pronounced in the final month of the latest period, i.e. November from the April to November extract. It is also probable that clinical data are not complete, which may in particular affect the last two months of any given period. There may also be errors due to coding inconsistencies that have not yet been investigated and corrected. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Epilepsy

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the letter from the Minister of State for Care Services to the Co-Chair of Epilepsy Advocacy Europe of 8 February 2012, who is undertaking the scoping study commissioned by his Department to examine issues regarding late diagnosis; when he expects the study to be available; whether it will be published; whether issues regarding misdiagnosis will form part of the study; whether late diagnosis of epilepsy and non-epileptic seizure disorders will form part of the study; and whether the study will include consultation with patients and patient groups.

Paul Burstow: Departmental officials have no knowledge of this letter.

Exercise

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of lack of physical exercise to the NHS.

Anne Milton: The estimated direct cost of physical inactivity to the national health service across the United Kingdom is £1.06 billion. This is based upon five conditions specifically linked to inactivity, namely coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, colorectal cancer and breast cancer. This figure represents a conservative estimate, since it excludes the cost of other diseases and health problems such as osteoporosis and falls, which affect many older people.

Eyesight: Testing

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners in Havering have received free eye tests in each year since the scheme's inception.

Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested. Information is provided by primary care trust (PCT) and by strategic health authority. Information on the number of national health service sight tests by patient eligibility is available at a local level only from 2007-08.
	The number of NHS sight tests for persons aged 60 and over, in the Havering PCT area from 2007-08 to 2010-11 is shown in the following table. This information is taken from Table C1 of Annex C of the “General Ophthalmic Services: Activity Statistics for England, Year ending 31 March 2011” report and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/gosactivity1011
	
		
			  Number 
			 2007-08 13,508 
			 2008-09 13,883 
			 2009-10 25,379 
			 2010-11 25,421

Eyesight: Testing

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners have received free eye tests in each year since the scheme's inception.

Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested.
	From 1 April 1999, eligibility for a free national health service sight test was extended to everyone aged 60 or over.
	The following tables show the number of NHS sight tests for persons aged 60 and over, in England from 1999-2000 to 2010-11. This information has been extracted from the report, “General Ophthalmic Services: Activity Statistics for England, Year ending 31 March 2011”. This report is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/gosactivity1011
	Patients may qualify for an NHS sight test on more than one criterion. However, they would only be recorded against one criterion on the form. Patients are more likely to be recorded according to their clinical need rather than their age. For example, a patient aged over 60, with glaucoma is likely to be recorded in the glaucoma category only. The count by eligibility is therefore approximate. Patients may also have had more than one sight test in the specified time period.
	
		
			 Annex C, Table A1 :  NHS sight tests, by patient eligibility, in England, as at the specified financial years 
			  1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999 - 2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002- 03 2003-04 
			 Aged 50 and over 0 0 0 3,301,412 3,753,315 4,012,946 4,135,615 4,308,889 
			 Children 0-15 2,353,696 2,385,520 2,458,944 2,425,666 2,404,037 2,374,943 2,284,368 2,236,329 
			 Students 16-18 515,321 507,983 477,013 468,221 454,319 487,882 468,735 456,614 
		
	
	
		
			 Adults receiving income support(1) 1,905,505 1,975,057 1,781,740 1,359,767 1,158,854 1,082,048 963,281 953,325 
			 Adults receiving tax credits 358,073 335,711 341,887 328,471 360,033 450,475 412,478 474,541 
			 Adults receiving JSA(2) 28,983 66,068 176,562 219,654 211,827 230,050 207,703 201,487 
			 Low income certificate holders (HC2) 331,134 316,700 301,784 226,694 189,899 164,262 166,784 149,033 
			 Registered blind/partially sighted 36,380 40,810 40,914 21,783 19,604 18,948 17,850 19,834 
			 Diabetics/Glaucoma sufferers 604,841 644,345 685,107 469,375 451,601 432,819 448,147 474,385 
			 Need complex lenses 84,409 86,276 80,498 66,029 67,462 61,129 66,268 71,418 
			 Close relatives 40 and over of Glaucoma sufferers 589,347 632,740 647,857 512,341 496,182 491,898 490,820 499,404 
			 Prisoner on Leave n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Unallocated 22 45 28 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 6,807,711 6,991,255 6,992,334 9,399,416 9,567,135 9,807,403 9,662,052 9,845,259 
		
	
	
		
			  2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Aged 50 and over 4,303,128 4,450,007 4,518,672 4,860,912 5,015,536 5,191,773 5,305,177 
			 Children 0-15 2,206,853 2,168,542 2,113,479 2,299,159 2,313,500 2,460,089 2,449,831 
			 Students 16-18 463,568 467,487 490,762 507,918 516,837 528,512 543,199 
			 Adults receiving income support(1) 1,091,019 1,085,424 1,170,055 1,119,650 1,107,692 1,085,346 1,085,496 
			 Adults receiving tax credits 528,409 538,779 569,833 660,736 675,514 689,091 696,757 
			 Adults receiving JSA(2) 195,783 218,689 236,126 225,782 239,556 313,205 309,283 
			 Low income certificate holders (HC2) 152,534 142,796 133, S80 127,542 119,667 104,549 91,599 
			 Registered blind/partially sighted 22,227 22,304 28,431 18,764 21,275 21,929 14,385 
			 Diabetics/Glaucoma sufferers 589,465 646,628 597,773 591,954 605,302 708,631 723,921 
			 Need complex lenses 72,312 70,295 86,816 82,476 75,122 62,732 73,297 
			 Close relatives 40 and over of Glaucoma sufferers 523,680 543,605 539,345 552,997 588,114 644,244 644,450 
			 Prisoner on Leave n/a n/a n/a n/a 360 1,550 1,134 
			 Unallocated 0 122 50 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 10,148,978 10,354,682 10,484,922 11,047,890 11,278,474 11,811,651 11,938,529 
			 n/a = Not applicable. Prisoner on Leave was introduced in October 2008. (1) Income support includes patients receiving pension credit guarantee credit as well as income-related employment and support allowance, which was Introduced in October 2008. (2) Job seekers allowance. Notes: 1. From 1 April 1999, eligibility for an NHS sight test was extended to everyone aged 60 or over. 2. Patients may qualify for an NHS sight test on more than one criterion. However, they would only be recorded against one criterion on the form. Patients are more likely to be recorded according to their clinical need rattier than their age. For example, a patient aged over 60, with glaucoma is likely to be recorded in the glaucoma category only. The count by eligibility is therefore approximate. Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps the Government are taking to ensure that doctors are trained to diagnose and treat foetal alcohol spectrum disorder;
	(2)  if he will take steps to encourage all medical colleges to include foetal alcohol spectrum disorder education in their curriculum.

Anne Milton: Although there is a broad consensus on the problems of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, there is not yet full international agreement on exact diagnostic criteria for all the categories currently described. However, general practitioners are expected by the General Medical Council to participate in continuing professional development activities to ensure they remain up-to-date in their practice.
	In 2006, the Department announced funding to develop the curriculum for all new United Kingdom doctors in relation to substance misuse. Further funding support was provided in 2008 to assist in implementation of this agreed curriculum in English medical schools. This will help ensure that by 2018, around 600,000 doctors will have been trained to be able to recognise, assess and understand the management of alcohol use and its associated health and social problems, and so that in the future doctors can better advise women on the effects of substance use including alcohol, and the impact on foetal and maternal health.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what education programmes for teenagers the Government have put in place on (a) avoiding alcohol in pregnancy and (b) children with alcohol-related brain damage to prevent foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Anne Milton: All schools must have a sex and relationship education policy. Topics that are covered in the programme, such as avoiding alcohol in pregnancy, are based on helping young people make sensible and informed decisions.
	The Government continue to support high quality personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education as a means of ensuring that all children and young people learn how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The Department for Education (DfE) is currently considering responses to its review of PSHE education and will consult on its proposals later this year.
	Advice on drinking in pregnancy and possible harmful foetal effects is currently incorporated in departmental public health materials.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that GPs make referrals for foetal alcohol spectrum disorder diagnosis.

Anne Milton: The Department has provided funding to develop the curriculum for all new United Kingdom doctors in relation to substance misuse. This will help ensure newly qualified general practitioners are trained to be able to recognise, assess and understand the management of alcohol use and its associated health and social problems.
	Although there is a broad consensus on the problems of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, there is not yet full international agreement on exact diagnostic criteria for all the categories currently described. However, general practitioners are expected by the General Medical Council to participate in continuing professional development activities to ensure they remain up-to-date in their practice.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what programmes he has in place to prevent women giving birth to children with alcohol-related brain damage.

Anne Milton: Advice on drinking in pregnancy and possible harmful foetal effects is currently incorporated in the Department's public health materials. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) 2007 guideline also includes recommendations for doctors and midwives on the advice they should give to pregnant women about drinking alcohol.
	There are programmes in place for supporting appropriate training and continuing professional development of health care staff, including for medical undergraduate training.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to inform the public about drinking in pregnancy and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in the last year; and what plans he has for such a campaign in the next 12 months.

Anne Milton: The Change4life campaign, launched in February, focuses on the health harms from drinking above the lower-risk guidelines.
	The Department's Start4Life campaign is being broadened to incorporate maternal health and will include specific messaging on reducing alcohol consumption.
	The Department is also working to make digital advice and information for parents starting from early in pregnancy more accessible and relevant to the stage of pregnancy and age and development of their child.

Folic Acid

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the fortification of foodstuffs with folic acid; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Department of Health currently advises all women who are planning a pregnancy to take a daily supplement containing 400 micrograms of folic acid before conception and until the 12th week of pregnancy, as well as to increase their consumption of folate rich foods, to reduce the risk of a neural tube defect (NTD)-affected pregnancy.
	The Department promotes the importance of taking folic acid supplements for women of childbearing age and folate-rich foods in all relevant mainstream communications, such as the Pregnancy Book and the NHS Choices website, as well as a specific leaflet entitled “Folic acid: An essential ingredient for making healthy babies”.
	Fortification of foodstuffs with folic acid is a complicated issue, with a balance of benefits as well as potential risks. The Department was advised by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and the Food Standards Agency Board in 2007 on fortification options as a measure to reduce the risk of pregnancies being affected by NTDs. Additional advice on folic acid and cancer risk was requested by the then chief medical officer and provided by SACN in 2009.
	The papers underpinning the advice from SACN have not yet all been peer reviewed and published in a scientific journal. Ministers would like to see all information in the public domain before making any decision and will then make a decision.

Food: Safety

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will take steps to ensure that food ingredients accepted as safe for use in the UK are not prohibited under the provisions of the Addition of Nutrients to Food Regulation unless a prima facie case has been made that the ingredient is unsafe and demonstrably used in food within the EU;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the adequacy of procedures adopted by the EU under the provisions of the Addition of Nutrients to Food Regulation for the addition of substances to lists of (a) banned substances and (b) under scrutiny substances in preventing member states from securing the prohibition of the use of food ingredients that are accepted as safe for use in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 provides for a procedure to prohibit, restrict or place under Community scrutiny, a substance other than vitamins or minerals, added to foods for a nutritional or physiological effect, if a potential risk has been identified.
	A European Commission regulation establishing implementing rules for the application of the article 8 procedure, was agreed at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health meeting on 5 December 2011 by a qualified majority of member states. The regulation is currently under scrutiny by the European Parliament, and is expected to be published later this year.
	The European Commission may only restrict or prohibit the use of a substance following a risk assessment by the European Food Safety Authority and agreement by member states. United Kingdom officials will be involved in the decision-making process and, if substances are placed under scrutiny, there are several consultation steps which will provide member states and any interested party to submit evidence on the safety of the substance. The procedure is as yet untested, but it will be monitored once it is adopted and implemented into European law.

Food: Safety

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a list of the foods that contain high levels of naturally occurring anti-angiogenic chemicals.

Anne Milton: The Department does not hold data on foods that are considered to be high in anti-angiogenic chemicals, therefore currently we are unable to publish this information. This information is not captured by our work on nutrient composition of foods because anti-angiogenic chemicals are not classed as nutrients.

Food: Safety

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the use of foods that contain high levels of naturally occurring anti-angiogenic chemicals in prevention of (a) cancer and (b) obesity.

Anne Milton: The Department is aware that it has been suggested that certain components in food, such as anti-angiogenic chemicals, may prevent cancer and the accumulation of fat cells. Research in this area has been conducted in laboratory experiments in test tubes rather than in people, so we cannot be certain whether the same effects would be replicated in the body. The causes of cancer are multifactorial and no single food can prevent the condition from occurring. To reduce the risk of developing cancer the best advice, continues to be not to smoke or drink too much alcohol, to keep to a healthy weight and eat a healthy balanced diet. Weight gain occurs when more calories are consumed than the body needs, it is unlikely that consumption of foods high in anti-angiochemicals alone would prevent weight gain without reducing energy intake and increasing physical activity.

General Practitioners: Working Hours

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure all patients who need it have access to an out of hours GP service; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Primary care trusts have a legal responsibility to ensure they provide, or secure provision of a high quality, sustainable out of hours service for their local population.

Genito-urinary Medicine

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made on developing its sexual health policy document; and when he expects it to be published.

Anne Milton: The Department is preparing a sexual health policy document and plans to publish the document later this year.

Health Services: Staffordshire

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what personal medical service allocation was provided to North Staffordshire in the last five years; what his policy is on allocation of resources to areas of high health inequalities; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Funding for personal medical services is currently included within the revenue allocations made to primary care trusts (PCTs). These allocations are not broken down by service or policy area. PCTs commission the services they need locally to meet the specific health care needs of their local populations.
	Tackling health inequalities is a Government priority and we are committed to tackling the differences in access to, and outcomes of, national health service treatment; addressing the wider, social causes of ill health and early death; and improving individual healthy lifestyles.
	From 2013-14, the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for commissioning family health services including all primary medical services. The board will have a duty to have regard to reducing inequalities in access to, and the outcomes from health care.
	Also, from 2013-14, the Department will allocate a ring-fenced public health grant to local authorities, based on relative population health. We are developing a new Health Premium incentive that will reward communities for the improvements in health outcomes they achieve and incentivise action to reduce health inequalities. Disadvantaged areas will see a greater incentive if they make progress, recognising that they face the greatest challenges.

Health Visitors

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health visitors there were in (a) St Helens South and Whiston constituency, (b) Merseyside and (c) England in each of the last five years.

Anne Milton: Information relating to the number of health visitors in St Helens South and Whiston constituency and Merseyside is not collected by the Department.
	The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent health visitors in England over the last five years.
	
		
			 Full-time equivalent health visitors in England as at 30 September each year 
			  Number 
			 2007 8,959 
			 2008 8,644 
			 2009 8,307 
			 2010 8,017 
			 2011 7,941 
			 Source: NHS Information Centre for health and social care. 
		
	
	This decrease is in line with expectations and a gradual decline in numbers is expected until autumn 2012. From this date, the results of the recruitment drive will start to be seen as the 2011-12 cohort of health visiting trainees, which is three times larger than the 2010-11 cohort, begins to enter the work force.

Hospitals: Admissions

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients spent a night in hospital but not in a (a) hospital bed and (b) ward in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) the latest period for which figures are available in 2012.

Simon Burns: The information requested is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to approach individual national health service bodies to confirm whether this information is collected locally.

Hospitals: Admissions

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the five most common causes of admission to hospital were for (a) children and (b) adults in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) the latest period for which figures are available in 2012.

Simon Burns: The information available is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Top five (1)  most frequently recorded diagnosis codes (2)  as recorded in the primary diagnosis field (3)  of finished admission episodes (FAEs) (4)  by age group of patient in years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 to date (5) 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Rank 0-17 18+ 0-17 18+ 0-17 18+ 
			 1 Liveborn infants according to place of birth Pain in throat and chest Liveborn infants according to place of birth Pain in throat and chest Liveborn infants according to place of birth Pain in throat and chest 
			 2 Viral infection of unspecified site Abdominal and pelvic pain Viral infection of unspecified site Abdominal and pelvic pain Viral infection of unspecified site Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			 3 Disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight, not elsewhere classified Other cataract Acute upper respiratory infections of multiple and unspecified sites Other cataract Disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight, not elsewhere classified Other cataract 
			 4 Acute upper respiratory infections of multiple and unspecified sites Malignant neoplasm of breast Disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight, not elsewhere classified Malignant neoplasm of breast Dental caries Malignant neoplasm of breast 
			 5 Dental caries Other disorders of the urinary system Dental caries Other disorders of the urinary system Acute tonsillitis Perineal laceration during delivery 
			 (1) The top five is based on a count of the primary diagnosis code and not the number of patients. If the same patient has been admitted on several occasions for an ongoing condition then the appropriate diagnosis code will have multiple counts for that patient. (2) The International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems v.10 as published by the World Health Organisation. ICD-10 codes are available at three-character level, providing major groupings of related conditions, and at four-character level, providing more detail about the specific case in question. Three-character codes have been used in this analysis. (3) The primary diagnosis provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. (4) A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. (5) Data for 2011-12 are based on months April to November 2011 and are currently provisional and subject to change. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Hospitals: Admissions

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in each age category were readmitted to hospital within three days of being discharged in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) the latest period for which figures are available in 2012.

Simon Burns: The information requested would require a special analysis of the available data in the Hospital Episodes Statistics dataset and could not be prepared at proportionate cost. Some limited information for years up to 2006-07 was published in a Department of Health paper, ‘Emergency readmission rates: further analysis’, in October 2008 and a copy has already been placed in the Library.

Hospitals: Food

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to assess patient satisfaction with hospital meals in the latest period for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: Patient experience must be a key arbiter of all national health service services. The Operating Framework for the NHS in England makes it clear that NHS organisations must ensure there are systems in place to capture the views and experience of patients. This can include acting on complaints, patient comments and local or national surveys.
	National patient surveys, co-ordinated by the Care Quality Commission, collect feedback on the experiences of people using a range of health services supplied by the NHS including hospital food. The most recently published adult in-patient survey (published April 2011) asked patients how they would rate the hospital food. Survey results showed that 57% rated the food as being ‘very good’ or ‘good’, an improvement on the previous year's figures of 55%.
	Since 2000, the quality of hospital food provision has also been measured via Patient Environment Action Team Inspections programme. This is being replaced from April 2013 by a programme of patient-led hospital inspections that will also include similar assessments.
	The importance of good quality food for patients is recognised both in terms of improving their health and in relation to their overall experience of services.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps he has taken to combat superbug infections in hospitals.

Simon Burns: The Government have set a zero tolerance approach to all avoidable health care associated infections. “The Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2012-13” (published 24 November 2011) reinforces our approach, and sets new objectives to drive further improvements in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream and Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections.
	The objectives seek to achieve a further 29% reduction in MRSA bloodstream infections and a further 18% in C. difficile infections by April 2013, compared to the October 2010 to September 2011 baseline period. Those organisations with the highest rates of these infections will be required to make the largest reductions in 2012-13 with the aim to raise standards across the national health service for all patients in England.
	Mandatory surveillance was extended in January 2011 to Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bloodstream infections and in June 2011 to E. coli bloodstream infections.

Intensive Care: Greater London

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intensive care beds are available at each London acute hospital; and what recent estimate he has made of their rate of occupancy.

Simon Burns: The assessment of critical care capacity is a matter for the local national health service. The most recent data on critical care bed capacity were published by the Department on 23 March 2012. The data for London are shown in the following table and can also be accessed at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Statistics/Performancedataandstatistics/EmergencyActivityandCriticalCareCapacity/index.htm
	
		
			 Provider level data 
			   Open at last Thursday on reporting period Occupied at last Thursday on reporting period Percentage of open beds occupied 
			 Code Name No. of adult critical care beds No. of paediatric intensive care beds No. of neonatal critical care cots (or beds) No. of adult critical care beds No. of paediatric intensive care beds No. of neonatal critical care cots (or beds) Adult critical care beds Paediatric intensive care beds Neonatal critical care cots (or beds) N o. of nonmedical c ritical care transfers 
			  England 3,744 405 1,301 3,198 336 946 85.4 83.0 72.7 72 
			             
			 RF4 Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust 40 0 11 34 0 8 85.0 0.0 72.7 0 
			 RVL Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 22 0 4 20 0 1 90.9 0.0 25.0 0 
			 RNJ Barts and The London NHS Trust 72 2 39 70 2 32 97.2 100.0 82.1 0 
			 RQM Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 10 0 38 10 0 36 100.0 0.0 94.7 0 
		
	
	
		
			 RJ6 Croydon Health Services NHS Trust 12 0 4 12 0 2 100.0 0.0 50.0 0 
			 RC3 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 9 0 0 8 0 0 88.9 0.0 0.0 0 
			 RVR Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 18 0 4 16 0 4 88.9 0.0 100.0 0 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust 0 35 0 0 32 0 0.0 91.4 0.0 0 
			 RJ1 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 78 18 16 73 15 15 93.6 83.3 93.8 0 
			 RQX Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 6 0 10 6 0 10 100.0 0.0 100.0 0 
			 RYJ Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 68 8 27 66 6 20 97.1 75.0 74.1 0 
			 RJZ King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 68 12 27 63 12 27 92.6 100.0 100.0 0 
			 RAX Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 11 1 6 11 0 4 100.0 0.0 66.7 1 
			 RJ2 Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust 19 0 6 19 0 6 100.0 0.0 100.0 2 
			 RNH Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 7 0 2 5 0 2 71.4 0.0 100.0 6 
			 RAP North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 11 0 3 7 0 0 63.6 0.0 0.0 0 
			 RV8 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 34 0 5 33 0 3 97.1 0.0 60.0 0 
			 RT3 Royal Brompton And Harefield NHS Foundation Trust 83 16 0 58 16 0 69.9 100.0 0.0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 RAL Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 84 0 2 40 0 0 47.6 0.0 0.0 0 
			 RAN Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 12 0 0 10 0 0 83.3 0.0 0.0 0 
			 RYQ South London Healthcare NHS Trust 33 0 2 32 0 0 97.0 0.0 0.0 0 
			 NT3 Spire Healthcare 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 
			 RJ7 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 46 8 39 44 6 30 95.7 75.0 76.9 0 
			 RAS The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 9 0 8 9 0 4 100.0 0.0 50.0 0 
			 RKE The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 15 0 23 12 0 18 80.0 0.0 78.3 0 
			 RRV University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 67 0 32 58 0 29 86.6 0.0 90.6 0 
			 RFW West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 12 0 4 9 0 2 75.0 0.0 50.0 0 
			 RGC Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 9 0 4 9 0 1 100.0 0.0 25.0 0

Internet

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of maintaining his Department's website was in each of the last two years.

Simon Burns: The cost of maintaining the Department's website for the last two years was:
	2010-11: £730,662.26 (excluding VAT)
	2011-12: £928,125.16 (excluding VAT).

Internet

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) page hits and (b) visitors his Department's website received in the last two years.

Simon Burns: The Department's website received:
	April 2010 to March 2011
	14,655,544 visits
	49,630,241 page views
	April 2011 to March 2012
	14,736,705 visits
	46,380,100 page views

Leukodystrophies

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy to make a test for leukodystrophies a part of standard perinatal procedure; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to promote the early diagnosis of Adrenoleukodystrophy.

Simon Burns: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the national health service in all four countries about all aspects of screening. The UK NSC has not considered either antenatal or newborn screening for leukodystrophies because of the lack of peer reviewed evidence relating to the test and treatment.
	The UK NSC regularly reviews policy on screening for different conditions in the light of new research evidence becoming available. Where stakeholder organisations or individuals feel that there is enough evidence published in peer reviewed journals to consider screening for a condition they can submit a policy proposal to the UK NSC.
	Early diagnosis is important for any rare genetic condition including Adrenoleukodystrophy. NHS genetics services are among the best in the world and the Government continue to support the development and adoption of genomic technology in health care. In January 2012, the Human Genomics Strategy Group published their report ‘Building on our inheritance: Genomic technology in healthcare’. The report recommended a plan of action to ensure that the United Kingdom maintains its lead in this area. Government have welcomed this report and the Department of Health is working with its partners to develop a shared strategic framework to implement its recommendations.

Manpower

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials of his Department are in its redeployment pool.

Simon Burns: There are a total of 37 departmental officials in the redeployment pool, as at 27 March 2012. As the Department is going through a period of change and restructuring, it is expected that this number will rise. However, we are not able to accurately predict future numbers of staff who will be in the redeployment pool, as this is affected by external factors such as staff securing new roles as part of the Department's restructuring which is currently under way or by transferring to a new body.

McKinsey and Company

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what outstanding contracts his Department has with McKinsey and Company.

Simon Burns: The Department's central procurement system (for core Department of Health and Connecting for Health) shows no record of open contracts with McKinsey and Company on 26 March 2012.

Medical Treatments: Cortisone

Gordon Birtwistle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the value for money of (a) hospitals and (b) GPs giving cortisone injections.

Simon Burns: Cortisone injections are used in the treatment of acute hypersensitivity reactions, rheumatic diseases, and soft tissue inflammations. Depending on the indication it may be appropriate for the injections to be given by either a general practitioners or a hospital specialist. No assessment has been made of the cost-effectiveness of either approach.

Medicine: Education

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with interested organisations on the effect of the provisions of the Higher Education Regulations (Basic Amount) (England) 2010 and the Higher Education Regulations (Higher Amount) (England) 2010 on the arrangements for tuition fee funding and the NHS Bursary scheme for medical degrees from academic year 2013-14; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: As part of the discussion on the interim solution for the funding of students beginning a medical course in 2012-13, the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), and the Minister for Universities and Science, my right hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr Willetts), asked their departmental officials to take forward joint work to agree the funding arrangements for 2013-14. This work is continuing and we plan to be at a stage where we can discuss proposals with stakeholder organisations shortly and in advance of an announcement.

Mental Health Services

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost saving to the Exchequer resulting from the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme;
	(2)  how many (a) patients were treated and (b) therapists were trained under the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme in each quarter of the last four years.

Paul Burstow: The impact assessment on the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme that was carried out in February 2011 estimated that over the four-year period of the spending review from April 2011 to March 2015 the IAPT programme will create net savings to the national health service of £272 million and a total saving of £302 million to the public purse. This figure does not include the cost and benefits of the development of IAPT services for children and young people, people with long-term physical health conditions, people with medically unexplained symptoms and people with serious mental illness which have yet to be quantified.
	The following table gives the number of people who have entered treatment since the IAPT programme started in October 2008. The figures for Quarter 4 2011-12 will be published on the NHS Information Centre website in June 2012.
	
		
			 People entering treatment 
			  Number 
			 2008-09  
			 Q3 17,401 
			 Q4 26,391 
			   
			 2009-10  
			 Q1 23,074 
		
	
	
		
			 Q2 21,991 
			 Q3 61,703 
			 Q4 75,179 
			   
			 2010-11  
			 Q1 83,946 
			 Q2 89,775 
			 Q3 92,682 
			 Q4 116,735 
			   
			 2011-12  
			 Q1 120,844 
			 Q2 126,949 
			 Q3 129,287 
		
	
	The numbers of therapists that have successfully completed training in the first three academic years of the programme are as follows: 871 in 2008-09, 1,530 in 2009-10, and 822 in 2010-11; a total of 3,223. In the current academic year an additional 496 trainees have started IAPT training courses (January 2012) and more will be starting later in the academic year.

Mental Health Services: Sexual Offences

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sexual assaults took place in NHS mental health facilities in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) the latest period for which figures are available in 2012.

Paul Burstow: The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) receives reports of sexual incidents from mental health hospitals. They received 893 reports in 2010 and 994 in 2011, which is also the latest available figure. This information is used to inform the need for staff training in sexual safety on mental health wards. The NPSA does not investigate or validate these reports; this is the responsibility of the hospital which should investigate them and call in the police if it appears that a sexual assault has taken place.

Mental Health Services: Waiting Lists

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the (a) average and (b) longest waiting times for outpatient psychiatric care in each NHS trust in the latest period for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: This exact information requested is not held centrally.
	However, the Health and Social Care Information Centre is able to provide the mean and median length of time waited (in days) for first outpatient psychiatric care attendances in 2010-11 for each provider trust. The mean is the average length of wait and the median represents the middle value if all the values were placed in ascending order. Neither of these calculations take account of waits recorded as zero. This information has been placed in the Library.
	The overall breakdown of time waited for first outpatient psychiatric care attendances in 2010-11 for each provider trust, by standard time waited groupings, has also been provided. This gives the number of patients waiting over 18 months at each provider. However, it is not possible to provide reliable data about the longest waiting times as data quality issues can lead to unreliable estimates.
	These data only give information on consultant-led outpatient activity, and do not include activity carried out by other members of a multi-disciplinary team. The footnotes should be referred to when interpreting these tables.

Mental Illness: Prisoners

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners diagnosed with serious mental illnesses in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) the latest period for which figures are available in 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not routinely collect information about the numbers of prisoners with serious mental illness.
	The 1997 Office for National Statistics survey of the psychiatric morbidity of offenders showed that 90% of offenders had a psychiatric problem and that 7% of male sentenced offenders, 10% of males on remand and 14% of female offenders had functional psychosis.
	As part of its work to develop liaison and diversion services, the Department is considering how best to establish a new baseline of psychiatric morbidity in prisoners and the wider offender group and expects to commission a research study later this year.

Midwives

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he holds on the number of registered midwives who were not practising in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) the latest period for which figures are available in 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Higher Education Statistics Agency is the official agency for the collection, analysis and dissemination of quantitative information about higher education.
	The following table shows the percentage of midwifery graduates who have not started work as midwives in the national health service within six months of graduation in each year. These are the latest figures available.
	
		
			  Percentage not working as midwives Percentage working as midwives 
			 2008-09 20.4 79.6 
			 2009-10 18.3 81.7 
			 Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of five, so components may not sum to totals. 2. Percentages are based on unrounded figures and are given to one decimal place. Subject information is shown as full person equivalents (FPEs) in the table. FPEs are derived by splitting student instances between the different subjects that make up their course aim. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency, Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey.

Multiple Sclerosis

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the quality of NHS data on prevalence of and mortality from multiple sclerosis.

Paul Burstow: We have made no recent assessment of the prevalence, and mortality from, multiple sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the recording of multiple sclerosis on death certificates.

Paul Burstow: Doctors are required under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 to complete the medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) “to the best of their knowledge and belief”. Internationally accepted guidance from the World Health Organisation requires only those conditions that contributed directly to the death to be recorded on the death certificate, and whether a condition contributed is a matter for their clinical judgement.
	Books of MCCDs have short notes at the front on how to complete the MCCD and when to refer deaths to the coroner. Additional guidance for doctors has been produced and it is available to download from the General Register Office website at:
	www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/medcert/index.asp

Neurology: East Midlands

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the progress by NHS East Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group in developing neuromuscular services in the east midlands.

Simon Burns: The provision of neuromuscular services is a matter for the local national health service. The East Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group has created a neuromuscular network that includes clinicians, patients, patient groups and commissioners, with the aim of improving services for patients in the region.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to bring forward regulations under section 56 of the National Health Service Act 2006 relating to consultation by NHS foundation trusts seeking to merge.

Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Act 2012 removes section 56(7) of the National Health Service Act 2006 which required the Secretary of State for Health to bring forward regulations relating to consultation by NHS foundation trusts seeking to merge.
	The new Act amends section 242 of the NHS Act 2006 to place a duty of public involvement on foundation trusts in relation to matters such as planning of service provision, proposals for changes in the way services are provided, and decisions affecting the operation of services.
	Foundation trust mergers would be caught by the public involvement duties set out in section 242 of the 2006 Act as amended by the new Act. This duty of public involvement includes foundation trust mergers. The Department will also be consulting on regulations concerning local authority health scrutiny functions including the matters on which relevant NHS bodies and relevant health service providers, must consult local authority scrutiny functions. It is intended that relevant NHS bodies would include foundation trusts.

NHS: Innovation

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the potential benefits for medical technologies experiencing difficulties in gaining access to the NHS market of the Specialised Commissioning Innovation Fund in the 2012-13 financial year;
	(2)  what types of innovation will be covered by the Specialised Commissioning Innovation Fund.

Simon Burns: ‘Innovation Health and Wealth: accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS’ was published on 5 December 2011, which recommended establishing a Specialised Services Commissioning Innovation Fund.
	Development of the scope of the Specialised Services Commissioning Innovation Fund is under way. This work will develop appropriate criteria for what will be covered, which we expect will include all specialised services innovations including medical technologies, diagnostics, devices, medicines and service design.
	The detailed operating arrangements will be tested later this year, ahead of the Specialised Services Commissioning Innovation Fund being fully operational from 1 April 2013.

NHS: Procurement

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to create a public register of contracts to provide services to the NHS that are not subject to commercial confidentiality; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Government contracts worth more than £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts Finder also holds live opportunities with central Government. Departments including their agencies, non-departmental public bodies, national health service bodies and local authorities, prime contractors to Government Departments as well as the wider public sector.
	Contracts Finder can be accessed at:
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk

NHS: Redundancy

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many former NHS trusts or parts of trusts which have been transferred to new social enterprise companies have made their former NHS staff redundant; and how many redundancies have been made for the latest year for which records are available.

Paul Burstow: The Right to Request scheme to establish social, enterprises only applied to staff working for primary care trusts, not national health service trusts. No staff would have transferred from NHS trusts under this scheme.

NHS: Redundancy

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees of (a) primary care trusts and (b) strategic health authorities who have accepted redundancy or job termination arrangements have been (i) reappointed to work elsewhere in the NHS and (ii) employed to work for national agencies which provide services to the NHS or his Department.

Simon Burns: Information on the number of national health service employees who have received a redundancy payment or an exit package who have then gone on to work in another NHS role or national agency that provide services to the NHS or the Department is not collected centrally.

NHS: Training

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the cost of the NHS bursary scheme in each of the financial years from 2012-13 to 2015-16; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The budget for national health service student support funds both NHS bursaries and a contribution to student loans. In 2012-13 an estimated £486 million of this budget will be spent on NHS bursaries and allowances. This is based on an analysis of the 2011-12 outturn and expected student numbers in 2012-13. The level of funding for student loans has not yet been agreed.
	Estimates of the cost of the NHS bursary scheme in each year beyond 2012-13 will be made as part of the settlement of the annual budget in each of those years and the budget will change depending on the number of students and the package of support available to each student.

Nurses: Pensions

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons frontline nursing staff are to be exempt from the provisions made for uniformed services regarding normal pension age under the new public sector pension proposals.

Simon Burns: Lord Hutton of Furness's final report of the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission applied to the uniformed services which comprised of armed forces, police and firefighters.
	Since 1 April 2008, all new entrants to the NHS Pension Scheme have a pension age of 65. This is the same for all frontline national health service staff, including nurses.
	Special Class Status whereby nurses and mental health officers have the right to retire on an unreduced pension at 55, in view of the arduous nature of the work, was withdrawn for new members from 6 March 1995. Advances in safe handling and other working practices made nursing less physically arduous than it had been in the first half of the 20th century.
	A tripartite review has been agreed between the Department, the NHS trade unions and NHS Employers to address the impact of working longer in the NHS.

Nurses: Pensions

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the potential impact on health and safety for nursing staff of the proposed increase to the normal pension age to 68 years for nursing staff;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the potential impact on patient care of the proposed increase to the normal pension age to 68 years for nursing staff;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the potential impact on future recruitment and retention in the nursing profession as a result of the proposed increase to the normal pension age to 68 years for nursing staff.

Simon Burns: The decision to link state pension age and normal pension made for public service pension scheme members, was made by the Government in response to the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission led by Lord Hutton of Furness.
	A tripartite review, included in the proposed final Agreement on reforms to the NHS Pensions Scheme for England and Wales, has been agreed between the Department, NHS employers and the NHS trade unions to address the impact of working longer in the national health service. This is in particular reference to the staff working in frontline and physically demanding roles. A review group is in the process of being established and the terms of reference have been agreed.
	The objectives of the group include determining the impact on the delivery of health care to patients if the NHS workforce works until the state pension age. The review will also assess the impact of working longer on the NHS workforce as well as identifying strategies to support the extension of working lives.

Nurses: Standards

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that nursing care is delivered to the highest possible standards in England.

Anne Milton: At the heart of the health care reforms is a focus on improving the quality and outcomes of health care for patients. One of the NHS Commissioning Board's roles will be to provide national leadership in driving up the quality of care. The board, along with clinical commissioning groups, will have a legal duty to secure continuous improvement in the quality of services and outcomes. The Chief Nursing Officer will have a specific remit to improve the safety and people's experience of nursing care.
	On 6 January 2012 the Prime Minister announced a series of measures to improve the quality of nursing care and free up nurses to provide the care patients and their relatives expect. These include setting up a new independent Nursing and Care Quality Forum, tasked with ensuring that best nursing practice is spread throughout the national health service and social care.

Older People: Loneliness

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what engagement his Department had with WRVS at the recent Loneliness summit;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to reduce loneliness among the elderly.

Paul Burstow: On 15 March 2012, the Department co-hosted a loneliness summit with the Campaign to End Loneliness (CEL). The event saw charities, businesses, hon. Members and public sector organisations come together to start a conversation about loneliness and isolation in older age and how it could best be tackled. CEL has also been commissioned by the Department to produce a digital toolkit for health and social care commissioners to combat loneliness and isolation.
	The CEL is a coalition of five partner organisations: Age UK Oxfordshire, Independent Age, Manchester city council, Sense and WRVS, all of whom played an active role at the summit. During the summit, representatives from all of the partner organisations (including WRVS) had the opportunity to engage with the Department. The chief executive of WRVS spoke at the event and answered questions as part of a panel with other speakers.

Organs: Donors

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have registered to be organ donors in each of the last five years.

Anne Milton: The information requested is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Number on the organ donor register (ODR), by year 2007 to 2011 
			  Number on ODR 
			 2007 1,027,422 
			 2008 1,127,893 
			 2009 1,062,733 
			 2010 1,106,003 
			 2011 1,065,546 
			 Current total—23 March 2012 18,685,363 
			 Source: NHS Blood and Transplant

Palliative Care

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what initiatives his Department is taking to enhance palliative care.

Paul Burstow: The Government remain committed to improving choice and quality in end of life and palliative care and we continue to work to implement the Department's End of Life Care Strategy. Important initiatives we are taking include the national survey of bereaved relatives, the roll-out of electronic palliative care coordination systems, the work on palliative care funding, support for the national Dying Matters coalition, and implementation of the End of Life Care for Adults Quality Standard developed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Parkinson’s Disease: Prescriptions

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on ending prescription charges for people diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: In the six-month period, 1 September 2011 to 29 February 2012, a search of the Department’s records indicates no relevant written representations were received on this matter.

Pay

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) bonuses and (b) incentives were paid to (i) consultants and (ii) contractors engaged by executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible in each of the last two years.

Simon Burns: No bonuses or incentives have been paid to consultants or contractors engaged by the Department's executive agency and non-departmental public bodies in each of the last two years.

Photographs

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on (a) ministerial photoshoots and (b) the production of videos in which Ministers appear in the last two years for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: Ministers have always had official photographs, to be used, for example, in official publications. Since May 2010, the Department has spent £537.43 on official photographs of Ministers. Records of any expenditure on video footage involving Ministers is not held centrally.

Prescription Drugs

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 22 March 2012, Official Report, column 800W, on prescription drugs, what steps his Department has taken as a result of meetings held with national supply chain stakeholders on the supply of prescription drugs.

Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stourbridge (Margot James) on 2 February 2012, Official Report, column 770W.

Prescription Drugs

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to examine the efficacy of anti-angiogenesis in treating (a) cancer and (b) obesity;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the use of anti-angiogenesis for the treatment of cancer.

Simon Burns: The Department has made no assessment of the use of anti-angiogenesis for the treatment of cancer or obesity. Nor have we asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to produce guidance on this topic separately from the appraisal guidance it has published or has been asked to develop on individual drug treatments.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans any increases to prescription charges in the next three years; and if he will consider providing exemptions for people living with long-term conditions such as HIV and multiple sclerosis.

Simon Burns: The prescription charge in England is reviewed annually. In terms of extending the list of medical conditions qualifying for prescription charge exemption, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bristol East (Kerry McCarthy) on 4 May 2011, Official Report, columns 856-57W.

Procurement

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many contracts his Department had with (a) Capita and (b) Serco in the last 12 months.

Simon Burns: The core Department's central procurement system holds information on the number of individual contracts awarded between 1 April 2011 and 27 March 2012 to Serco and the following Capita companies which is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Company Number of individual contracts 
			 Serco 3 
			 Capita Business Services Ltd 7 
			 Capita Health Solutions Colchester 7 
			 Capita Resourcing Ltd(1) 160 
			 Capita SHG Resourcing 4 
			 Capita Symonds 25 
			 (1) The Department has signed up to the pan-government DWP CIPHER framework agreement for the provision of non-permanent workers by Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
		
	
	Connecting for Health have one contract with Capita for the provision of NHS Choices.

Prostate Cancer: Health Education

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he next plans to run a national public information campaign on prostate cancer; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: Prostate cancer awareness activity is currently managed through the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme (PCRMP). Since 2002, the PCRMP has been in place to ensure that men over 50 without symptoms of prostate cancer can have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test free on the national health service after careful consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of PSA testing and after a discussion with a general practitioner (GP).
	Although the PSA test is currently the best method of identifying an increased risk of localised prostate cancer, it is not perfect. Some men with prostate cancer do not have raised levels of PSA. Two-thirds of men with raised levels of PSA, depending on the cut off level used, do not have prostate cancer. Also, the PSA test cannot distinguish between men with slow-growing prostate cancer and those who have a more aggressive disease.
	In addition, we know that some GPs are still unaware of the programme and its objectives. That is why the Prostate Cancer Advisory Group has recently developed “Five Key Points Every GP Should Know About Prostate Cancer” which were published on the website of the Prostate Action charity at:
	www.prostateaction.org.uk
	in December 2011, with a link from NHS Choices at:
	www.nhs.uk
	The key points were also published in Prostate Action’s newsletter, which goes out to 4,000 GPs.
	We know that more can be done to raise awareness of prostate cancer and the PCRMP. As set out in our Cancer Outcomes Strategy, published on 12 January 2011, the Prostate Cancer Advisory Group (PCAG) is currently exploring options for making the PCRMP information more accessible to men. The Department is supportive of the principles of the Prostate Cancer Charity’s “Testing Choices” campaign, and continues to work with the charity through PCAG, of which the charity has full membership.

Radiotherapy

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2012, Official Report, columns 245-6W, on cancer: drugs, if he will reallocate the underspend on the Cancer Drug Fund to help increase access to radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients in those parts of England that the National Radiotherapy Dataset Report identified as lacking adequate radiotherapy treatment levels.

Paul Burstow: The Department is already investing in the expansion of radiotherapy treatments, underlining our broad-based commitment to the provision of comprehensive cancer treatments. “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer” (January 2011) sets out our commitment to expand radiotherapy capacity by investing over £150 million in additional funding over four years up until 2014-15.
	This will support increased utilisation of existing equipment, establish new services to increase capacity in some areas and ensure that all high priority patients with a need for proton beam therapy treatment get access to it abroad. It is for commissioners to use the “Radiotherapy Dataset (RTDS) Annual Report” (2011) to assess how their radiotherapy services compare with other centres and address variations in services to meet the health care needs of their local populations.

Retinoblastoma

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve early diagnosis of retinoblastoma in children.

Paul Burstow: Since 2005, “Improving outcomes for children and young people with cancer”, published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), has supported trusts in planning, commissioning and organising services for children and young people with cancer, including retinoblastoma. One of its recommendations is the establishment of support for professionals in primary and secondary care in the recognition and referral of suspected cancer in children and young people.
	This guidance is complemented by “Referral for suspected cancer”, also published by the NICE in 2005, which sets out best practice advice on referral for suspected cancer in adults and children. The guidance covers a wide range of cancers, including retinoblastoma, and identifies key symptoms and evidence to consider when referring a patient for suspected cancer.
	These sets of guidance are continuing to support the commissioning of quality services for children and young people with cancer in the reformed national health service.
	During 2011, departmental officials met two charities for children and young people cancer, with the aim of identifying some of the barriers to early diagnosis and to discuss potential solutions. This work has been fed into the National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative and will inform future activity in this area.

Retinoblastoma

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent studies his Department has commissioned into retinoblastoma; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Department has not recently commissioned any research studies into retinoblastoma. The report of a systematic review funded by the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme of effectiveness of different treatments for childhood retinoblastoma was published in 2005. This can be found on the HTA website at:
	www.hta.ac.uk/1410
	The Department's National Institute for Health Research welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including retinoblastoma. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made.

Retinoblastoma

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of people diagnosed with retinoblastoma in (a) Medway Primary Care Trust, (b) West Kent Primary Care Trust, (c) Kent and (d) England in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested fails within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what assessment has been made of the number of people diagnosed with retinoblastoma in(a) Medway Primary Care Trust, (b) West Kent Primary Care Trust, (c) Kent and (d) England in each of the last five years.
	Table 1 as follows shows the number of newly diagnosed cases of retinoblastoma in Medway primary care trust, the county of Kent and England, for 2005 to 2009 (the latest year available). To protect confidentiality, it is not possible to provide figures for West Kent PCT due to the small number of cases registered.
	The latest published figures on the incidence of cancer in England are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/all-releases.html?definition=tcm%3A77-27451
	
		
			 Table 1. Number of newly diagnosed cases of retinoblastoma, England, Kent and Medway primary care trust, 2005-09 (1, 2, 3, 4) 
			 Registrations (persons) 
			  2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total 
			 England 36 46 44 48 51 225 
			 Kent * * * * * 5 
			 Medway PCT * * * * * 3 
			 (1 )Retinoblastoma is coded as C69.2 in the International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10). (2) Figures are based on boundaries as of February 2012 and exclude non-residents. (3) Newly diagnosed cancers registered in each calendar year. (4) Numbers under three have been suppressed, so potentially identifiable data are not revealed. A cell which has been suppressed for disclosure control is denoted by ‘*’. Source: Office for National Statistics

Ritalin

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 6 June 2005, Official Report, column 439W, on Ritalin, how many prescriptions of methylphenidate hydrochloride have been dispensed in England in each year since 2004; and whether the estimated proportion of such prescriptions dispensed to children remains around 90 per cent.

Simon Burns: Information on prescriptions of methylphenidate hydrochloride (including Ritalin) dispensed in the community in England from 2004 to 2010, the latest available year, is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of prescription items dispensed 
			 2004 359,068 
			 2005 389,186 
			 2006 456,909 
			 2007 535,328 
			 2008 573,397 
			 2009 610,194 
			 2010 661,463 
			 Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system 
		
	
	The information in the answer of 6 June 2005, Official Report, column 439W, on the estimated proportion of such prescriptions dispensed to children, was derived from a sample of prescription forms used by the National Health Service Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) to inform the Department of the frequency of claims for exemption from prescription charges in each exemption category.
	From December 2007, the NHSBSA changed its processes for pricing prescriptions and for capturing prescription charge exemption status and therefore cannot reliably estimate the proportion of prescriptions dispensed according to exemption categories relating to the age of the patient from this date.

Royal Brompton Hospital

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department plans to hold a public consultation on the changes to the Royal Brompton Hospital's respiratory services; what recent representations he has received on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Department does not hold consultations on proposals for changes to local health services. These are locally led, as set out in the National Health Service Act 2006.
	The Department received representations from my hon. Friend on this specific issue dated 12 March 2012, enclosing a letter from one of his constituents.

Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs Advisory Committee

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects the minutes of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs meeting of 9 March 2012 to be published; [R]
	(2)  what the outcome was of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs meeting at which the committee reviewed its recommendations on fresh frozen plasma made in 2009; and if he will make a statement; [R]
	(3)  if he will publish the Government’s response to any further recommendations by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs on fresh frozen plasma; and what timetable he has set for responding. [R]

Anne Milton: The Department expects to publish the minutes of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) meeting of 9 March after they have been approved by the chair and members of the committee, this is expected by the end of April 2012.
	At that meeting, SaBTO reviewed current assessment of the risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease transmission from blood components and recommended that there should be no extension of the importation of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) beyond those for whom it is currently used (those born since 1 January 1996 and high-usage adult patients).
	There are no further recommendations from SaBTO on FFP expected at this time.

Sleep Apnoea

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the average referral to treatment time for a patient with obstructive sleep apnoea.

Simon Burns: The Department does not collect referral to treatment time data at this level.

Sleep Apnoea

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that GPs are aware of the warning signs of obstructive sleep apnoea and are screened for that condition using (a) the Epworth sleepiness test or (b) other recognised tests.

Simon Burns: The British Thoracic Society and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network published a clinical guideline on the management of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) in 2003 that sets out the common features of sleep apnoea and the use of the validated Epworth Sleepiness Scale as a validated method of assessing the likelihood of falling asleep in various situations. The guideline can be used by general practitioners in helping to recognise the signs and symptoms of OSA.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal for “Continuous positive airway pressure for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome”, recommended that:
	“The diagnosis and treatment of Obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS), and the monitoring of the response, should be carried out by a specialist service with appropriately trained medical and support staff.”
	The NICE technology appraisal document is available at:
	www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/TA139Guidance.pdf
	The National Clinical Directors for Respiratory Disease, Professor Sue Hill and Dr Robert Winter, are currently considering whether more can be done to ensure that the symptoms of OSA are identified and acted upon in primary care.

Smoking: Children

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made in reducing the incidence of smoking among 11 to 15-year-olds in the last two years.

Anne Milton: Figures are not yet available to show what progress has been made in the last two years.
	2010 figures for smoking prevalence among 11 to 15-year-olds can be found in the ‘Smoking, Drinking and Drugs Use Among Young People in England in 2010’. A copy has already been placed in the Library.
	Figures for 2011 will be published later in the year.

Smoking: Motor Vehicles

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) recent and (b) past estimates his Department has made of the number of parents who smoke in cars with children present.

Anne Milton: The Department has not made an estimate of the number of parents who smoke in cars with children present. However, of the children aged 11 to 15 surveyed in “Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2010”, 19% reported that they were often near people smoking in the car.
	A copy of the survey report has already been placed in the Library.

Social Services

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the £648 million allocated for primary care trust (PCT) spending on social care was spent on (a) prevention services, (b) communicating equipment, (c) telecare, (d) crisis response services, (e) maintaining eligibility criteria, (f) re-ablement and (g) mental health by each PCT.

Paul Burstow: The Department collected information on the use of the funding allocated to support social care services in September 2011. Data at primary care trust (PCT) level have been placed in the Library.
	The returns from PCTs showed that they planned to transfer £642 million of the £648 million made available in 2011-12.
	Following the survey, we followed up with the two PCTs which, at the time of the survey, had not yet agreed the majority of their transfer and sought assurances that plans were in place to reach an agreed position. We can now confirm that agreements have been made for the remaining £6 million to be transferred to local authorities.

Soft Drinks: Taurine

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the health effects on young people of levels of taurine in energy drinks.

Anne Milton: We are advised by the Food Standards Agency that taurine is a naturally occurring compound which is used as an ingredient in energy drinks. The safety-in-use of taurine was reviewed in 2009, when it was concluded that exposure to taurine at the levels used in energy drinks was not of safety concern.
	At present there are no plans to assess the health effects of taurine. However, the safety-in-use of food additives and ingredients remains under review and should any new information become available this will be considered and action taken as appropriate.

Surgery: Negligence

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times foreign objects requiring surgical removal have been left inside patients following an operation in each of the last 10 years.

Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Some information is available regarding patient safety incidents involving the retention of a foreign object, which have been designated as "never events" since 2009-10. The definition of this "never event" does not necessarily mean the foreign object required surgical removal.
	The number of incidents recorded in the National Patient Safety Agency's (NPSA) National Reporting and Learning Service (NRLS) classified as "never events" and falling under the category of retained instruments post-operation in England were as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Number of “never events” recorded 
			 2009-10 7 
			 2010-11 22 
		
	
	The definition of the "never event" changed in 2010-11 to include retained swabs, so the data for the two years are not directly comparable.
	Prior to 2009-10, "never events" data were not collected but the NPSA are able to provide data by calendar year on retained instruments post-operation in England and Wales. This is given in the following table.
	
		
			 Patient safety incidents reported to the NRLS involving possible retained instruments by calendar year 
			 Calendar year Number of incidents (1) 
			 2005 9 
			 2006 27 
			 2007 19 
			 2008 5 
			 Total 60 
			 (1 )Includes retained swabs. Source: National Patient Safety Agency 
		
	
	There was no central reporting system in place prior to 2003 and no such patient safety incidents were reported in 2003 and 2004.

Telemedicine

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will respond to the findings of the Whole Systems Demonstrator Project report on the costs per quality-adjusted life year of the Government's telemedicine programme.

Paul Burstow: The Whole System Demonstrator (WSD) is a very complex study comprising of over 6,000 people across three sites and independently evaluated by six leading academic institutions. Telehealth headline findings were published by the Department on 5 December and show reductions in hospital admissions and mortality can be achieved. There will be more detailed findings published following the. completion of the ongoing peer review process in the coming weeks and months.
	At the recent Kings Fund International Congress on Telehealth and Telecare, the research team shared some of their findings on cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY). The high cost of telehealth at the start of the WSD study does have an affect on the cost of QALY results, but what is clear is that if the price point for the equipment is reduced then the cost per QALY will be significantly lower. That is the learning we have taken from WSD and is precisely the reason for the announcement of the 3 Million Lives initiative, which aims to improve understanding, reduce costs and improve patient outcomes.

Terminal Illnesses

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients with terminal illnesses elected to die at home in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: Health care is a devolved responsibility.
	In England, the Government have confirmed their commitment to improving quality and choice in palliative and end of life care in the White Paper “Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS”. This includes ensuring that people have the choice to be cared for and die in their usual place of residence.
	About 440,000 people die each year in England. Deaths in usual place of residence now stand at 41.3%, with around 23% at home and 18% in care homes(1). Progress since publication of the “End of Life Care Strategy” (2008) shows a slow decrease in the number of deaths in hospital and a slow increase in deaths at home and in care homes.
	(1 )Office for National Statistics: based on figures from Quarter 3 in 2010-11 to Quarter 2 in 2011-12.

Training

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many overseas training courses were attended by officials of his Department in the latest period for which figures are available; how many such officials attended each such course; and what the total cost to the public purse was of each such course.

Simon Burns: Training provided to departmental staff is delivered primarily through short (half-day or one-day) training courses, taking place on departmental premises whenever possible. Only in exceptional cases do staff participate in training outside the United Kingdom. Since October 2010 two officials from the Department attended corporately funded training events overseas. In both cases these events formed part of our departmental Executive Talent Development Programme. The total cost incurred, including travel and accommodation, was £6,481.
	Any training organised locally by teams is not recorded centrally. Extracting the necessary data from local sources would entail contacting approximately 200 teams and asking them to search for and retrieve the necessary information. To do so would incur disproportionate costs.

Transplant Surgery: Yorkshire and the Humber

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for (a) kidney, (b) liver and (c) heart transplants was in (i) Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Hospitals Trust and (ii) Yorkshire and Humber in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: The information requested is not available in the format requested. Information regarding average waiting times for kidney, liver and heart transplant is recorded by transplant centres only. I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 22 March 2012, Official Report, columns 801-03W which gives information nationally by transplant centre.

Travel

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last travelled by (a) bus and (b) taxi in the course of his official duties.

Simon Burns: In line with the Ministerial Code, Ministers make regular use of public transport where practicable. However, details of the mode of public transport used on particular occasions are not routinely recorded.

Tuberculosis

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people have been (a) diagnosed with and (b) treated for tuberculosis in the last five years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many people were (a) diagnosed with and (b) treated for tuberculosis in (i) Haltemprice and Howden constituency and (ii) Yorkshire and Humber in the last five years for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: The information requested is only partially available in the format requested. Such information as is available is given in the following three tables.
	
		
			 Table 1: Tuberculosis (TB) case reports for England and Yorkshire and the Humber, for the five-year period 2006-10 
			  Number of cases 
			  England Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 2006 7,739 670 
			 2007 7,650 641 
			 2008 7,926 637 
			 2009 8,152 692 
			 2010 7,758 636 
			 Note: Data for 2011 will be available later this year. Source: Health Protection Agency 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: TB case reports for East Riding of Yorkshire unitary authority  for  the five-year period covering 2006-10 
			 Year grouping Average number of cases 
			 2006-08 9 
			 2007-09 7 
			 2008-10 7 
			 Notes: 1. Data is provided for East Riding unitary authority as data at constituency level are not available. 2. Three-year average numbers are provided because the number of cases in each local authority per year are often less than five, and could result in deductive disclosure of identity. Source: Health Protection Agency 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: Number of cases reported to have completed treatment within one year, in England, Yorkshire and Humber and East Riding unitary authority, for the five-year period 2005-09 
			  Treatment completed 
			  England Yorkshire and the Humber East Riding unitary authority 
			 2005 5,488 409 <5 
			 2006 5,931 498 8 
			 2007 6,076 472 <5 
			 2008 6,412 480 8 
			 2009 6,688 539 5 
			 Notes: 1. Treatment completion rates are calculated after 12 months as most TB treatment is for six months, but some forms of TB (e.g. drug-resistant or other than pulmonary) may require longer treatment and therefore one year is allowed. The latest available year for which data are currently available are for treatment started in December 2009. Data on treatment completion for 2010 will be available later this year. 2. To prevent deductive disclosure of identity, where cases are less than five, they have been expressed as <5. Source: Health Protection Agency

Tuberculosis: Prisoners

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to reinstate a tuberculosis nurse within the prison health service.

Paul Burstow: The prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) is a priority for the Department and prisons have been identified as an important setting for TB control. TB nurses have an essential role in delivering care. Prisons do not usually employ TB nurses directly, with care programmes delivered in partnership between prison-based and community-based health service providers.
	Commissioning responsibility for prison healthcare transferred from the Prison Service to the national health service in 2006. Since this date, primary care trusts have provided or commissioned health services, including prison TB services, informed by a health needs assessment of the prison population.
	From 2013, the National Health Service Commissioning Board will be responsible for commissioning health services for those in prison and other detained settings.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many contracts Vodafone has been awarded by his Department in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what contracts his Department has with Vodafone;
	(3)  how many times the Permanent Secretary in his Department has met Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months.

Simon Burns: The core Department of Health has not awarded any new contracts to Vodafone within the last 12 months. Connecting for Health have awarded one contract to Vodafone in the last 12 months.
	The core Department has a single contract with Vodafone to provide and supply mobile devices and connectivity as part of the central Government framework agreement.
	NHS Connecting for Health has a contract with Vodafone for mobile device services under the Government Procurement Service Framework Agreement for Mobile Voice and Data services.
	The Permanent Secretary of the Department has not met any representatives of Vodafone in the last 12 months.

TREASURY

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effects of introducing a minimum per unit price for alcoholic drinks on levels of (a) smuggling and (b) legal purchases of alcoholic drinks in other EU countries for private import to the UK.

Chloe Smith: The Government have assessed impacts of minimum alcohol pricing using standard modelling methodologies. This included the possibility of some consumption being shifted to non UK duty paid sources. Description of HM Revenue and Customs’ methodology used to model alcohol consumption in the UK is available online at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/alcohol-consumption-uk.pdf
	Further analysis of the effects of introducing a minimum per unit price for alcoholic drinks on levels of alcohol smuggling and cross border shopping will be performed during the consultation process to inform the policy impact assessment.

Arch Cru

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from investors in Arch Cru.

Mark Hoban: The Treasury has received representations on this issue from a range of stakeholders. As with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to disclose details of all such representations.

Child Benefit

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the costs of setting up and administering the process to assess and make payments of child benefit to individuals whose earnings are between £50,000 and £60,000 per year.

David Gauke: The Chancellor's Budget 2012 announcements about child benefit do not change the eligibility criteria for child benefit or the process for assessing and making payments of child benefit. Where a person is currently entitled to receive child benefit they will continue to be entitled to receive payments regardless of whether they or their partner is a taxpayer with income over £50,000. A new income tax charge, levied through existing PAYE and self assessment systems, will be applied to taxpayers whose income exceeds £50,000 and who are either in receipt of child benefit or whose partner is in receipt of child benefit. The estimated administrative costs of this new charge can be found in the Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) which was published on HMRC's website:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk

Child Benefit

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people who earned between £50,000 and £60,000 and were in receipt of child benefit in each parliamentary constituency in the UK at the latest date for which figures are available.

David Gauke: This information is not available.

Child Benefit

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the high income child benefit charge will be calculated on the basis of income and child benefit received in the same financial year.

David Gauke: The amount of the new high income child benefit charge will be based on the amount of income and child benefit for the same tax year. Further details were published in the Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) which was published on HMRC's website:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk
	and in the Finance Bill.

Child Benefit

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will calculate by how much the annual gross yield of the high income child benefit charge would be reduced if child benefit payable in respect of (a) children aged under five and (b) children aged five and over but under eight was exempted from the charge.

David Gauke: This information would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Corporation Tax

George Mudie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish anonymised data on how much corporation tax was paid by each FTSE 100 company in each of the last five years.

David Gauke: We will not be publishing anonymised data on the corporation tax paid by FTSE 100 companies.
	HMRC has a statutory duty to maintain taxpayer confidentiality and may not disclose information unless the limited and controlled circumstances set out in the statute creating HMRC apply. It is a criminal offence for HMRC staff unlawfully to disclose any information about a taxpayer who is identified in the disclosure or whose identity can be deduced from it.
	Even if the information about the corporation tax paid is anonymised, it will be possible to match it with other information already in the public domain to identify the FTSE 100 company.

Credit Unions

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to encourage the use of credit unions as an alternative lending mechanism.

Mark Hoban: The Government welcome the contribution that credit unions make in providing greater choice and diversity in financial services.
	The Legislative Reform Order for Industrial and Provident Societies and Credit Unions came into force on 8 January 2012. It made major changes to the regulatory and legislative framework for credit unions, for example allowing businesses to become members for the first time. These changes will increase the appeal of credit unions to the local community and help them to increase their capacity to lend to their members.

Devolution: Finance

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which measures announced in the Budget generate a Barnett consequential payment to devolved Administrations; what the (a) value and (b) purpose of any such payments are; and whether any payments are to be made to devolved Administrations outside the formula.

Danny Alexander: The following Barnett consequentials were given to the devolved Administrations in Budget 2012:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 
			 Housing 17.8 10.9 -2.8 
			 Free advice services 0.0 3.2 3.2 
			 DWP fraud and error initiatives 3.0 2.4 1.7 
			 Household welfare cap 0.3 0.0 0.0 
			 Tax increment financing 0.0 3.2 3.2 
		
	
	
		
			 Other welfare measures -3.2 2.7 0.7 
			 Total 17.9 22.4 6.0 
		
	
	No payments were made to devolved Administrations outside of the Barnett formula.

Economic Growth: Northern Ireland

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the level of economic growth in Northern Ireland in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014 and (d) 2015.

Chloe Smith: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) produced the official forecast for economic growth as part of the March 2012 Economic and Fiscal Outlook, published on 21 March 2012.
	The OBR forecast that the UK economy will grow in 2012 and in every subsequent year of the forecast, but they have not published growth forecasts for the devolved countries and regions.

Energy: Finance

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the outcomes were of his discussions with his G20 counterparts at the recent meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Mexico on energy subsidy reform.

Chloe Smith: At the recent G20 meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in Mexico City on 25-26 February a wide range of issues were discussed, including on energy. At the G20 summit in Cannes on 3-4 November 2011, leaders asked their Finance and Energy Ministers to report back on the progress made in implementing country-specific strategies at the June 2012 summit in Mexico.

Fuels: Prices

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the relationship between the price of (a) oil and (b) petrol and levels of economic growth; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for producing independent economic and fiscal forecasts. In their most recent economic and fiscal outlook (published 21 March), the OBR estimated that an immediate $50 shock to the oil price would lead to GDP growth in 2012-13 falling from their central forecast of 1.0% to 0.3%. Supplementary analysis by the OBR suggests that a 20% increase in the price of oil reduces actual output by approximately 0.2% compared to a baseline scenario.

Growing Places Fund

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  to which financial year he has allocated the increase in the Growing Places Fund which was announced in his Budget Statement of 21 March 2012;
	(2)  how much additional funding will be provided from the Growing Places Fund as part of the funding announced in the 2012 Budget broken down by local enterprise partnerships excluding the £70 million allocated for the Greater London Authority.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 26 March 2012
	The additional £270 million for the Growing Places Fund, announced in Budget 2012, will be allocated to Local Enterprise Partnerships in the 2011-12 financial year. The breakdown of additional funding by Local Enterprise Partnership, excluding the London allocation, is set out in annex A.
	
		
			 Annex A 
			 Local Enterprise Partnership Allocation (£ million) 
			 (The) North Eastern Local Enterprise Partnership 8,198,503 
			 Tees Valley 2,788,254 
			 Cumbria 2,162,498 
			 Lancashire 6,286,494 
			 Greater Manchester 12,099,215 
			 Liverpool City Region 6,336,851 
			 Cheshire and Warrington 4,257,719 
			 York and North Yorkshire 3,043,369 
			 Leeds City Region 11,739,899 
			 Humber 2,844,599 
			 Sheffield City Region 6,027,853 
			 Lincolnshire 3,185,269 
			 Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire 8,538,103 
			 Leicester and Leicestershire 4,343,040 
			 Stoke and Staffordshire 3,721,421 
			 The Marches Enterprise Partnership 2,659,812 
			 Black Country 4,701,565 
			 Worcestershire 1,791,486 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire 4,144,786 
			 Greater Birmingham and Solihull 7,283,524 
			 South East Midlands 6,070,478 
			 Northamptonshire 1,915,237 
			 Buckinghamshire 2,029,024 
			 Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough 5,214,464 
			 Hertfordshire 5,246,729 
			 New Anglia 5,912,036 
			 South East 15,983,959 
			 Coast to Capital 7,674,599 
			 Enterprise M3 7,021,240 
			 Solent 5,865,727 
			 Oxfordshire 2,925,449 
			 Thames Valley Berkshire 5,163,226 
			 Gloucestershire 2,751,807 
			 West of England 5,527,958 
			 Swindon and Wiltshire 3,040,261 
			 Dorset 3,126,241 
			 Heart of the SW 6,978,179 
			 Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly 2,072,352

Housing: Construction

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the new funding allocated to the get Britain Building Fund will be spent on housing in Wales.

Chloe Smith: £7.8 million has been made available to the Welsh Government as a result of the new funding announced for the Get Britain Building Fund at Budget 2012. This is in addition to the £21.9 million made available at autumn statement, 29 November 2011, Official Report¸ columns 799-810.

Income Tax: Pensioners

Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the number of pensioners who pay income tax in (a) the North West, (b) Liverpool and (c) Liverpool, Wavertree constituency.

David Gauke: There were an estimated 603,000 pension age taxpayers in the North West in 2009-10, of these 25,000 were in Liverpool and 5,000 were in the Liverpool, Wavertree constituency.
	Estimates are based on the 2009-10 Survey of Personal Incomes.

Members: Correspondence

Graham Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Financial Secretary to the Treasury plans to respond to the letter of 19 January 2012 from the hon. Member for Weaver Vale on behalf of Caradoc Jones.

Mark Hoban: I have replied to my hon. Friend.

NHS: Private Finance Initiative

Julie Elliott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of companies in receipt of public funding from NHS private finance initiative schemes which are based overseas.

Danny Alexander: For each PFI project, a special purpose project company is established by the private sector equity sponsors. It is with this project company that the public sector authority contracts under PFI for the delivery of an asset and services over the project term.
	For most sectors, the project contract requires the project company to confirm that it is a UK resident company, and to undertake that it will remain so for the duration of the contract.
	Treasury does not hold information on any PFI contracts that would indicate that project companies have migrated overseas, however Treasury and HMRC cannot verify this as the Treasury does not hold the names of the special purpose project company for each PFI project—this information is held by each procuring authority.

NHS: Private Finance Initiative

Julie Elliott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to prevent companies in receipt of funding from NHS private finance initiative schemes basing themselves overseas to avoid being liable for taxation in the UK.

Danny Alexander: For each PFI project a special purpose project company is established by the private sector equity sponsors. It is with this project company that the public sector authority contracts under PFI for the delivery of an asset and services over the project term.
	For most sectors, the project contract requires the project company to confirm that it is a UK resident company, and to undertake that it will remain so for the duration of the contract.
	Treasury does not hold information on any PFI contracts that would indicate that project companies have migrated overseas, however Treasury and HMRC cannot verify this as the Treasury does not hold the names of the special purpose project company for each PFI project—this information is held by each procuring authority.
	UK resident PFI contractors, facilities management services and fund management companies, regardless of their shareholders' registered jurisdiction, are within the charge to UK corporation tax on profits earned within the UK.

PAYE

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for each employee in PAYE, how many items of data his Department will pass to the Department of Work and Pensions in order for that person's universal credit to be calculated in each payment period; and what those items of data will be.

David Gauke: h olding answer  27 March 2012
	HMRC will pass to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) up to 49 data items for each employee who is a universal credit claimant. The data items are:
	
		
			 Number Data item 
			 1 Record type 
			 2 HMRC Office number 
			 3 Employer PAYE ref 
			 4 Employer name 
			 5 Employer trade name 
			 6 National insurance number 
			 7 Surname 
			 8 Forename 
			 9 Second forename 
			 10 Initials 
			 11 Date of birth 
			 12 Gender 
			 13 Unique employment sequence number 
			 14 Payroll ID 
			 15 Employment start date 
			 16 Employment end date 
			 17 Taxable pay in this period including payrolled benefits in kind 
			 18 Value of payments not subject to tax or NICs in pay period 
			 19 Value of deductions from net pay in pay period 
			 20 Pay after statutory deductions 
			 21 Value of benefits taxed via the payroll in pay period 
			 22 Value of employee pension contributions paid under "net pay arrangements" in pay period 
			 23 Items subject to Class 1 NIC but not taxed under PAYE regulations excluding pension contributions in pay period 
		
	
	
		
			 24 Value of employee pension contributions that are not paid under a net pay arrangement 
			 25 Value of tax deducted or refunded from this payment 
			 26 Gross earnings for NICs in this pay period 
			 27 Employee contributions due on all earnings in this pay period 
			 28 Taxable pay to date in this employment including payrolled benefits in kind 
			 29 Total tax to date in this employment 
			 30 Employees contributions due on all earnings year to date 
			 31 Number of hours worked 
			 32 Pay frequency 
			 33 Payment date 
			 34 Weekly period number 
			 35 Monthly period number 
			 36 Number of earnings periods covered by payment 
			 37 Indicator that the payment is a payment after date of notification of contract ending 
			 38 Irregular employment payment pattern indicator 
			 39 Merger indicator 
			 40 Unique payment ID 
			 41 Payment confidence status 
			 42 OCC pen indicator 
			 43 Identification that an individual has been on strike with the RTI payment period 
			 44 Identification that an individual has been on unpaid absence within the RTI payment period 
			 45 Value of benefits taxed via the payroll year to date 
			 46 Value of the employees’ pensions not subjected to net pay arrangements year to date 
			 47 Value of the employee pension contributions paid under NET pay arrangements year to date 
			 48 Tax code 
			 49 End of record

PAYE

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the cost of implementing PAYE real time information.

David Gauke: holding answer 27 March 2012
	As part of the Spending Review 2010, HM Treasury allocated £108 million to HMRC to deliver real time information for PAYE. The latest business case, approved by HM Treasury in October 2011, estimates that the investment for the whole lifecycle of the programme will be £136.5 million, with £114.2 million of those costs falling within the current spending review period.

Poverty: Children

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the measures contained in the 2012 Budget on child poverty in Wales.

Chloe Smith: HM Treasury has made no assessment of the likely effects of the measures contained in the 2012 Budget on child poverty in the UK or Wales.
	The new Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission will provide an assessment of child poverty using a wide range of measures, including income.

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the outcome was of the devolved Finance Ministers' quadrilateral meeting on 5 March 2012; and whether the Government's proposed £18 billion budget allocation to Northern Ireland was discussed at that meeting.

Danny Alexander: The Finance Minister's quadrilateral meeting provided an opportunity to discuss matters of mutual interest and underlines the importance of good relations between HMT and the devolved Administrations. Issues specific to a devolved Administration are discussed bilaterally and not at quadrilateral meetings.

Public Sector: Pay

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential effects of introducing regional pay on Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Danny Alexander: Public sector pay in devolved areas is a matter for the devolved Administrations.
	At the 2011 autumn statement the Government asked the independent pay review bodies to consider how public sector pay can be made more responsive to local labour markets. The review bodies will report from July.
	A separate process is in place for the civil service. This is set out in the Civil Service Pay Guidance for 2012-13 which allows departments to move toward more local, market-facing pay, when they exit the pay freeze.
	Until formal proposals have been made by review bodies and civil service departments, it will not be possible to assess the impact on the devolved Administrations.
	More local, market-facing public sector pay should support local areas, with the potential to support a greater number of public sector jobs for the same level of spending, and help local businesses become more competitive and expand.

Public Sector: Pay

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) men and (b) women in each region will be affected by proposals to introduce regional variations in public sector pay; what assessment he has made of the effect on economic equality between women and men of such measures; and if he will make a statement.

Danny Alexander: At the 2011 autumn statement the Government asked the independent pay review bodies to consider how public sector pay can be made more responsive to local labour markets. The review bodies will report from July.
	A separate process is in place for the civil service. This is set out in the Civil Service Pay Guidance for 2012-13 which allows departments to move toward more local, market-facing pay, when they exit the pay freeze.
	Until formal proposals have been made by review bodies and civil service departments, it will not be possible to assess the impact on men and women.
	More local, market-facing public sector pay should support local areas, with the potential to support a greater number of public sector jobs for the same level of spending, and help local businesses become more competitive and expand.

Public Sector: Pay

Paul Murphy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the likely effect of changes in public sector pay in disadvantaged regions under his proposals on reform of public sector pay;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the likely effect on economic growth in Wales of his proposals on reform of public sector pay.

Danny Alexander: Public sector pay in devolved areas is a matter for the devolved Administrations.
	At the 2011 autumn statement the Government asked the independent pay review bodies to consider how public sector pay can be made more responsive to local labour markets. The review bodies will report from July.
	A separate process is in place for the civil service. This is set out in the Civil Service Pay Guidance for 2012-13 which allows Departments to move toward more local, market-facing pay, when they exit the pay freeze.
	Until formal proposals have been made by review bodies, and civil service departments, it will not be possible to assess the impact.
	More local, market-facing public sector pay should support local areas, with the potential to support a greater number of public sector jobs for the same level of spending, and help local businesses become more competitive and expand.

Public Sector: Pay

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his policy on regional pay will be based on where someone works or lives.

Danny Alexander: At the 2011 autumn statement the Government asked the independent pay review bodies to consider how public sector pay can be made more responsive to local labour markets. The review bodies will report from July.
	A separate process is in place for the civil service. This is set out in the Civil Service Pay Guidance for 2012-13 which allows Departments to move toward more local, market-facing pay, when they exit the pay freeze.
	Until formal proposals have been made by review bodies and civil service departments, it is not possible to give further information.
	More local, market-facing public sector pay should support local areas, with the potential to support a greater number of public sector jobs for the same level of spending, and help local businesses become more competitive and expand.

Public Sector: Pay

Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of variation between pay in the private sector and pay in the public sector in (a) Warrington and (b) the North West.

Danny Alexander: At the 2011 autumn statement the Government asked the independent pay review bodies to consider how public sector pay can be made more responsive to local labour markets. The review bodies will report from July.
	More local, market-facing public sector pay should help local areas, with the potential to support a greater number of public sector jobs for the same level of spending, and help local businesses become more competitive and expand.
	At Budget 2012 the Government announced that they have provided evidence to the pay review bodies on the economic case for local pay reform. This sets out the impact of existing variations in public sector pay premia, and is available on the review body website:
	www.ome.uk.com
	However, until formal proposals have been made by review bodies and civil service Departments, it will not be possible to assess the impact on particular areas.

Public Sector: Pensions

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which public sector pension schemes will continue to be uprated using the retail prices index.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 27 March 2012
	Following the Government's announcement in the June 2010 Budget, public service pension schemes will be uprated using the consumer prices index instead of the retail prices index.

Social Security Benefits

Ann Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people whose gross earnings are higher than the tax threshold for (a) April 2012 and (b) April 2013 and are claimants of (i) housing benefit and council tax benefit, (ii) housing benefit alone and (iii) council tax benefit alone.

David Gauke: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The latest available information on the gross earnings of recipients of housing and council tax benefit comes from the 2009-10 Family Resources Survey, based on a nationally representative sample of 25,000 private households.
	For the purpose of comparing these 2009-10 gross earnings with the April 2012 and April 2013 tax thresholds, the latter have been downrated to 2009-10 equivalent levels. (The April 2012 threshold of £8,105 is downrated to £7,325 and the April 2013 threshold of £9,205 to £8,065.)
	Numbers of adults in benefit units in receipt of housing benefit, council tax benefit or both in 2009-10, with gross earnings above these levels is as follows:
	
		
			  Benefit unit is in receipt of: 
			 Earning more than: HB and CTB HB only CTB only HB or CTB 
			 £7,325 per annum 100,000 100,000 200,000 400,000 
			 £8,065 per annum 100,000 100,000 100,000 300,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100,000. 2. A benefit unit is defined as a single adult or a married or cohabiting couple and any dependent children. 3. Earnings comprises income from employment or self-employment. 4. HB and CTB are paid at a benefit unit level. Therefore an individual has been assumed to be in receipt of HB or CTB if the individual's benefit unit is in receipt of HB or CTB. 5. The FRS is known to undercount receipt of certain benefits. See http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/frs/ for more information. Source: Family Resources Survey 2009-10.

Stamp Duty Land Tax: Wales

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many properties in (a) Ogmore constituency and (b) Wales will be subject to a 15 per cent rate of stamp duty on sale from April 2013.

David Gauke: No such estimate has been made. Data on the movement of residential properties into corporate envelopes are only available at the aggregate UK level.

Valuation Office Agency: Trade Union Officials

Alan Beith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) full-time equivalent trade union representatives are employed from the public purse by the Valuation Office Agency in the last year for which figures are available; and what the cost to the public purse was of such representatives.

David Gauke: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) formally recognises and consults with trade union representatives from the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) and Prospect unions. The VOA has recently agreed a new employee relations agreement (ERA) with both recognised trade unions that specifies the amount of time spent on trade unions activities (facility time) in the VOA. The new ERA significantly reduces the amount of facility time to a total of 10 FTE as of 2012-13 from a figure of 22.82 FTE in 2010-11; the last year for which figures are available. Figures are not yet available for the period 2011-12.
	The figures shown are for the year 2010-11:
	(a) Full-time:
	1 x PCS trade union representative
	1 x Prospect trade union representative
	(b) Part-time:
	269 x PCS trade union representatives
	33 x Prospect trade union representatives
	(c) Full-time equivalent:
	The VOA has 15.67 PCS full-time equivalent trade union representatives at a cost of £440,404.
	There are 7.15 Prospect full-time equivalent trade union representatives at a cost of £375,975.
	The overall cost is £816,379 (based on VOA national average salaries).

VAT

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) Greggs the Bakers, (b) Cooplands Bakery, (c) Newboulds Butchers and (d) Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union surrounding proposals to charge value added tax on freshly baked savoury products.

David Gauke: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	HMRC are consulting on draft legislation which will give effect to the proposed changes to the VAT treatment of supplies of hot food and catering.

VAT

Helen Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish correspondence between Lord Hunt of Wirral and his Department on VAT on newspapers.

David Gauke: There has been no correspondence with Lord Hunt of Wirral regarding VAT on newspapers.

Welfare Tax Credits: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were in receipt of (a) child tax credit, (b) child benefit and (c) working tax credits in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Gauke: The information requested is given in the following table.
	
		
			 Thousand 
			  Child and working tax credits  
			  Out-of-work WTC and CTC In-work CTC only WTC only All Child benefit 
			 Birmingham Ladywood 6.1 6.1 1.7 1.8 15.7 16.0 
		
	
	The tax credits information has been compiled using the December 2011 National Statistics dataset. The HMRC snapshot publication “Personal Tax Credits: Provisional Statistics—Geographical Statistics” contains data on the number of families in receipt of tax credits and the December 2011 publication can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-dec2011.pdf
	Table 4 has this information by Westminster parliamentary constituency.
	The child benefit information is published in the HMRC publication “Child Benefit Statistics Geographical analysis at Country, Region, Local Authority and Parliamentary Constituency levels”. Information for August 2011 can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_benefit/chb-geog-aug11.pdf
	Table 6 has this information by Westminster parliamentary constituency.

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) wrote off due to an administrative error made by HMRC in the last five years.

David Gauke: The information is not available and could be researched only at disproportionate cost.
	Write offs due to an administrative error made by HMRC are included in the overall losses figures which are published in the HMRC annual accounts. These accounts can be found on the HMRC website at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Alcoholic Drinks

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the total spending on wine and other alcoholic beverages was by his Department in the last six months.

Gregory Barker: The Department does not record expenditure on wine or other alcoholic drinks separately from general refreshments. In order to identify relevant expenditure the Department would need to review each individual expense claim and invoice for refreshments, entertaining, and hospitality which would incur disproportionate costs. Any such expenditure is incurred in accordance with local hospitality policies which are designed to ensure hospitality is moderate, appropriate and properly approved.

Carbon Dioxide: Pipelines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost per kilometre of new onshore carbon dioxide pipelines.

Gregory Barker: The Department has not made a general estimate of the cost per kilometre of constructing a new onshore carbon dioxide pipeline. The cost will be dependent on a number of factors, including the exact specifications of the pipeline, the material selected, the associated labour costs of construction and the terrain the pipeline will pass through.

Carbon Sequestration

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on how many prospective (a) gas and (b) coal carbon capture and storage projects there are worldwide.

Charles Hendry: The Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute publishes an annual report detailing progress made on prospective projects. The 2011 status report can be found at:
	http://www.globalccsinstitute.com/publications/global-status-ccs-2011

Civil Servants: Codes of Practice

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many investigations into breaches by civil servants of the Civil Service Code of Conduct occurred in his Department in each month from May 2010 to March 2012.

Gregory Barker: There have been no investigations into breaches of the Civil Service Code of Conduct in the Department of Energy and Climate Change over the period from May 2010 to March 2012.

Coal Fired Power Stations

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether any coal power station will be generating in the UK after 2023.

Charles Hendry: Around 21GW of coal plant in the UK have “not opted” out of the large combustion plant directive, and are therefore able to remain in operation after 2015. These plant will need to comply with the requirements of the industrial emissions directive.
	Which option they choose under the directive, and therefore whether they will remain in operation past 2023, is a commercial matter for individual operators.
	Some estimates of future coal generation capacity, and the assumptions underlying these estimates, can be found in the following:
	DECC's Updated Emissions Projections
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/about/ec_social_res/analytic_projs/en_emis_projs/en_emis_projs.aspx
	DECC's Carbon Plan
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/carbon_plan/carbon_plan.aspx

Coal: Imports

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of the coal used in the UK was imported in the latest period for which figures are available.

Charles Hendry: The following table shows the percentage of imported coal used in the UK in each year from 2000 until 2011.
	
		
			  Net imports(thousand tonnes) Total supply (thousand tonnes) Import dependency (1 ) (%) 
			 2000(2) 22,786 59,838 38.1 
			 2001 34,992 63,530 55.1 
			 2002 28,149 58,639 48.0 
			 2003 31,349 62,865 49.9 
			 2004 35,531 60,567 58.7 
			 2005 43,433 61,780 70.3 
			 2006 50,085 67,340 74.4 
			 2007 42,821 62,903 68.1 
			 2008 43,276 58,219 74.3 
			 2009 37,520 48,786 76.9 
			 2010 25,806 51,429 50.2 
		
	
	
		
			 2011(3) 32,119 51,213 62.7 
			 (1)Net imports divided by total supply, multiplied by 100. This is consistent with the EU definition. (2) Between 2000 and 2010 the components of the import dependency percentages can be found in Table 2.7, Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 2011. (3) The provisional 2011 statistics that have been provided are sourced from Table 2.1 of the quarterly statistical release, Energy Trends March 2012, which was published at 9.30 am on 29 March 2012. The statistics used to compile this table can be found on the DECC website: http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/source/coal/coal.aspx

Community Energy Saving Programme

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with (a) Atlantic, (b) EDF Energy, (c) British Gas, (d) Swalec, (e) E.ON, (f) Npower, (g) Scottish Hydro, (h) Scottish Power, (i) Southern Electric and (j) SSE to discuss progress in meeting their obligations under the community energy saving programme and carbon emission reduction target.

Gregory Barker: I last met with representatives of EDF, British Gas, E.ON, npower, SSE and Scottish Power to discuss the progress in meeting the carbon emission reduction target (CERT) and Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) obligations on 1 February 2012.
	Atlantic, Scottish Hydro and Swalec are all owned by SSE.

Community Energy Saving Programme

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has received any representations to extend the deadline for (a) the community energy saving programme and (b) the carbon emission reduction target.

Gregory Barker: The Government have received representations from some obligated energy companies, and representative bodies, to extend the 31 December 2012 deadline for achieving both the Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) and Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP).

Electricity Generation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the generation capacity is of private wire networks in the UK; and how many such generators operate on private wire networks.

Charles Hendry: DECC does not hold figures for generation over private wires.

Electricity Generation

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether secondees to his Department were involved in the preparation of the Final Overarching Energy National Policy Statement (EN-1) June 2011, Part 3: Section 3.3, subsections (a) The need for more electricity capacity to support an increased supply from renewables and (b) Future increases in electricity demand and the urgency of the need for new electricity capacity.

Charles Hendry: No secondees were involved in the preparation of the Final Overarching Energy National Policy Statement EN-1, Part 3, section 3.3 on the need for electricity generation capacity. Part 3 was drafted by DECC officials in the light of responses to the consultation on the revised draft NPSs.

Electricity Generation

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether secondees to his Department were involved in the preparation of the first bullet point, entitled The demand for electricity is likely to rise, on page six of the 2011 White Paper, Planning our Electric Future.

Charles Hendry: The drafting of 'Planning our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity' (CM 8099) was led by civil servants. Secondees have, however, assisted with the preparation of proposals on electricity market reform and I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given on 24 October 2011, Official Report, column 76W, to the hon. Member for Southampton, Test (Dr Whitehead).

Electricity Generation

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the effect of drought conditions on the generation of electricity.

Charles Hendry: Last year the Association of Electricity Producers (AEP) conducted a review that looked at the impact of a nationwide drought, considering in particular stations with abstraction licence conditions.
	The AEP assessment indicated that the amount of generating capacity potentially impacted in the case of a nationwide drought is significant but relatively low compared with total generating capacity.
	In March this year the Environment Agency (EA) published a report: "Drought prospects for spring and summer 2012". The EA supports the AEP's assessment, stating
	“..individual electricity generators may be impacted where they rely on abstracting cooling water in affected areas however this is unlikely to affect electricity supply as this may be met by an alternative supplier and balanced nationally...”.
	DECC continues to work closely with industry and other Government Departments to track and ensure energy resilience in this area.

Electricity Generation

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the probable installed capacity of (a) unabated gas-fired electricity generation and (b) unabated coal-fired electricity generation that there will be in the UK electricity system in 2025.

Charles Hendry: It is difficult to accurately predict the amount of installed capacity for unabated coal and gas in 2025, as (provided they continue to comply with environmental legislation) the decision to retire old plants, and build new ones, is a commercial matter for individual plant operators.
	The Carbon Plan, which was published on 1 December 2011, sets out a range of scenarios to highlight the possibilities and the challenges we will face in decarbonising the economy between now and 2050, using currently available knowledge. At this stage, it is not possible to predict with certainty the most cost-effective route to decarbonisation of the power sector and the scenarios are not intended to present a definitive assessment of a particular technology.
	Some estimates of future installed capacity, and the assumptions underlying these estimates, can be found in the following:
	DECC's Updated Emissions Projections
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/about/ec_social_res/analytic_projs/en_emis_projs/en_emis_projs.aspx
	DECC's Carbon Plan
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/carbon_plan/carbon_plan.aspx

Electricity: Meters

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the timetable is for developing and carrying out the consumer engagement strategy under the smart metering implementation programme; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The Government recently published a consultation on the consumer engagement strategy for the smart meter roll-out.
	The consultation sets out the Government's thinking on the objectives, activities and delivery approach for central consumer engagement. A key proposal is for energy suppliers to establish and fund a central delivery body for smart meter consumer engagement. Under a regulated approach, we envisage that the body would be set up no later than the first half of 2013 and publish its first delivery plans in the first quarter of 2014, ensuring that a comprehensive consumer engagement approach is in place before the start of mass roll-out later in 2014. Earlier implementation could be possible if suppliers are able to establish suitable arrangements without regulation.
	The Government will continue to work with stakeholders during Foundation Stage (which began in April 2011 and will continue until mass roll-out begins in 2014) to promote positive smart metering case studies through the media, counter misinformation and coordinate consistent messages.

Electricity: Meters

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the proposed budget is for the consumer engagement strategy under the smart metering implementation programme.

Charles Hendry: The Government recently published a consultation on the consumer engagement strategy for the smart meter roll-out.
	The consultation sets out the Government's thinking on the objectives, activities and delivery approach for central consumer engagement. A key proposal is for energy suppliers to establish and fund a central delivery body to deliver objectives relating to consumer engagement for smart meters set out by the Government. The Government's current view is that the funding levels would not be prescribed for the delivery body; instead it would be for suppliers to decide on the level of funding necessary to achieve its objectives.

Electricity: Meters

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the level of consumer awareness and support for smart metering.

Charles Hendry: The Government are carrying out qualitative and quantitative research on consumer attitudes to smart metering, the results of which will be published during summer 2012. We expect to repeat some of this research at six monthly intervals.
	In addition, we are aware of a number of external assessments of awareness of, and support for, smart metering. The findings vary, but typically the assessments suggest that awareness is fairly low, whereas support for smart metering among those who are aware is higher.

Electricity: Meters

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what alternatives he considered to smart metering; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The business case for smart metering has been developed by the previous and current governments over the last four years, supported by extensive analysis, consultation and detailed discussions with stakeholders. This included consideration of an alternative option of rolling out consumer displays and provision of historical information on energy bills.
	The Coalition programme for government included a commitment to roll out smart meters. In addition to providing consumers with greater visibility of, and control over, their energy use, smart meters will help energy suppliers provide improved customer services and deliver significant cost savings to industry, which will ultimately benefit consumers. In addition, it will help to facilitate the development of a smart grid and the uptake of electric vehicles and microgeneration. The impact assessment indicates that the rollout of smart meters will deliver more than £7 billion of benefits to the country.

E-mail

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the period for which emails sent and received by (a) Ministers, (b) officials, and (c) special advisers in his Department are retained; and whether such emails are recoverable from the IT systems in his Department after that period.

Gregory Barker: E-mails sent or received on departmental IT systems that form part of the official record for accountability, legal or business purposes, are saved into the corporate electronic records management system. These are reviewed after eight years when they are either destroyed, retained if there is an ongoing need and re-assessed at a future date, or identified for transfer to The National Archives when appropriate. Ephemeral e-mails which are not part of the official record are automatically deleted after 12 months.
	Backup copies of DECC's IT systems are kept for three months for business continuity purposes.

Energy Supply

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to support the energy sector and its domestic supply chain.

Charles Hendry: The building of a vibrant green economy and the promotion of the domestic energy supply chain are top priorities for this Government. DECC's work to strengthen the energy supply chain in the UK aims to support the sector in ensuring there is capacity in place to deliver required investment, and to deliver on DECC's objectives, safe and secure energy on the way to a low carbon future and incentivising low carbon investment and deployment. DECC also works to ensure that as far as possible work to achieve these objectives supports UK jobs and growth.
	Last August, DECC, BIS and DEFRA jointly published ‘Enabling the Transition to a Green Economy’. This sets out the policies we are using to support the transition to a green economy and outlines the range of levers we are using to drive green growth.

Energy: Billing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2012, Official Report, column 758W, on energy: billing, when the data for the average level of debt for domestic customers for 2011 will be published.

Charles Hendry: Ofgem expect to publish its social obligations annual report for 2011, which will include this information, before the end of August.

Energy: Prices

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the merits of collective purchasing in the energy market.

Charles Hendry: Collective purchasing and switching has the potential to help consumers get a fair deal on their energy bills.
	DECC has been looking at barriers to the development of collective purchasing schemes with industry representatives, consumer groups and other interested parties.

Environment Protection: Taxation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2012, Official Report, column 761W, on environmental protection: taxation, what estimate he has made of the likely effect of his policies on (a) medium and (b) large industrial energy bills.

Charles Hendry: On 23 November 2011, alongside the Annual Energy Statement, DECC published an assessment of the impact of climate change and energy polices on energy prices and bills for an average household, medium-sized business user and large energy intensive user in 2011, 2020 and 2030. This is available online at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/aes/impacts/impacts.aspx
	The headline results for medium-sized business users and large energy intensive users are presented in Table 1. These results do not include the impact of the package of measures for energy intensive industries announced in the Chancellor's 2011 Autumn Statement. On 12 March, the Government launched a call for evidence on the impact of electricity costs on energy intensive industries in the UK to inform implementation of this package of measures, available online at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/low-carbon-business-opportunities/energy-intensive-industries
	
		
			 Table 1: Estimated impact of energy and climate change policies on average energy (gas plus electricity) bills compared with bills in the absence of policies 
			 % 
			  2011 2020 2030 
			 Medium-sized business user(1) 18 19 28 
			 Large energy intensive industrial user(2) 3 to 12 2 to 20 11 to 34 
			 (1) A medium-sized business user is defined by an annual consumption of between 2,778 and 27,777 MWh of gas and between 2,000 and 19,999 MWh of electricity. The midpoints of these ranges have been used. (2) Energy intensive users are defined as those in sectors covered by Climate Change Agreements. The energy bills for these users are based on a range of three different mixes of gas and electricity consumption (80% gas and 20% of electricity, 50% of each and 20% gas and 80% electricity). The range of results also encompasses the extent to which users may source electricity from on-site generation which would not be subject to the support costs of policies such as the RO, EMR and FITs.

Environment Protection: Taxation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2012, Official Report, column 761W, on environmental protection: taxation, how much an average household would save each year by 2020 if the Energy Company Obligation, EU Emission Trading Scheme, Carbon Floor Price, Renewables Obligation, Green Deal and feed-in-tariffs were removed and electricity market reform discontinued.

Gregory Barker: DECC estimates that energy and climate change policies will lead to average household energy bills that are 7% lower in 2020 than they would be if these policies were never introduced. This net saving includes the impact of the energy company obligation, EU emission trading system, carbon price floor, renewables obligation (RO), Green Deal, feed-in tariffs (FITs) and electricity market reform (EMR) as well as other policies.(1) A breakdown of this net impact by policy is available in Annex F at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/aes/impacts/impacts.aspx
	It is important to take into consideration that even if the RO and FITs were discontinued today, the RO costs relating to large-scale renewable electricity generating capacity already built have been committed and will therefore still be incurred in 2020 and small-scale low-carbon electricity installations eligible for FITs and already installed would also still receive payments in 2020. As such we would not be saving the full costs of these policies reported in Annex F of the published document.
	Around a fifth of the UK's existing generation capacity will need replacing by 2020 as many nuclear and coal plants reach the end of their lives. Policies such as the EMR are designed to encourage the investment in electricity plants needed to replace these and avoid the risk of costly blackouts at least cost to consumers. Moreover, without these policies the UK will become more dependent on imported energy, more exposed to volatility in international fossil fuel prices and households, particularly the most vulnerable, will not benefit from improved energy efficiency of their homes. Furthermore, we would not meet our statutory emissions reduction targets and EU renewable energy targets if these policies were discontinued.
	(1) Other policies include smart meters, the carbon emission reduction target, the energy efficiency commitments, the Community Energy Saving programme, Better Billing, the warm home discount and products policy.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions his Department has had with its EU counterparts on the views of (a) China and (b) other non-EU countries on the EU Emissions Trading System and the decision to include international aviation in the scheme.

Gregory Barker: International aviation has been included in the EU ETS from 1 January 2012 as an effect of the directive 2008/101/EC, which was approved by co-decision on 19 November 2008 with strong support from the EU Parliament and Council.
	We remain fully committed to the inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS and continue to support the successful implementation of the system. We are working closely with other member states and with the Commission to understand the concerns raised by non-EU countries.
	A global measure remains our preferred option so we continue to press for an ambitious international agreement in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This position is consistent with Article 25a of the ETS Directive which makes provision for amendment to the legislation following an international agreement.

Fuel: Prices

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in (a) the UK and (b) Northern Ireland who spent more than 10% of their income on fuel in the last year.

Gregory Barker: Measurement of fuel poverty is based on modelled rather than actual spend and is reported on at household (rather than individual) level. In 2009, the latest year for which data are available, the number of households that were modelled to need to spend more than 10% of their income on domestic fuel to stay adequately warm was estimated to be:
	(a) 5.5 million in the UK;
	(b) 302,000 in Northern Ireland.
	The Department does not compile figures on the number of households that actually spend more than 10% of their income on fuel. Fuel poverty among the countries of the UK is measured by each devolved office. Latest figures for 2010 for the UK and England will be published on 17 May.

Gas and Electricity Markets Authority

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what investigations Ofgem is currently undertaking.

Charles Hendry: The information requested is a matter for Ofgem. The chief executive of Ofgem will write to the right hon. Member directly, and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Gas Fired Power Stations

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the electricity generation capacity from gas-fired power stations it expects to become operational in each year from 2012 to 2020.

Charles Hendry: DECC’s latest ‘central’ updated emissions projections (UEP) scenario, published on 13 October 2011, shows the following new build of gas generation between 2012 and 2020:
	
		
			  New build (GW) Cumulative new build (GW) 
			 2012 0.5 0.5 
			 2013 0.9 1.4 
			 2014 0.9 2.3 
			 2015 0.4 2.7 
			 2016 1.2 3.9 
			 2017 0.4 4.3 
			 2018 0.4 4.7 
			 2019 0.0 4.7 
			 2020 0.0 4.7 
		
	
	This data shows net gas generation capacity (i.e. gross generation capacity less the plant’s own use), only covers new build by major power producers, and does not include additional policies to meet the 4th carbon budget (2023-27) as set out in the Carbon plan published on 1 December 2011.
	The UEP scenario above reflects a gradual introduction of new capacity currently in construction. This reflects uncertainty about the exact completion dates for each generating unit.
	This scenario is based on a set of assumptions on fossil fuel and carbon prices and costs. They do not reflect a desired or preferred outcome for Government.
	Cumulative new capacity from major power producers can be found in annex K of DECC’s updated emissions projections available at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/about/ec_social_res/analytic_projs/en_emis_projs/en_emis_projs.aspx
	Please note that annex K shows cumulative capacity from 2011, whereas the cumulative figures above are from 2012.

Gas Fired Power Stations

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the number of gas-fired power stations for which (a) there is planning consent and (b) planning permission is being sought; and what the likely capacity of electricity which would be generated by power stations in each such category.

Charles Hendry: Since 1 January 2007, 18 consents for new gas-fired electricity generating stations or extensions to existing gas-fired stations have been granted under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 ("S36") in England and Wales. The total capacity comprised in those consents is 20,360 MW. In addition, the Scottish Government granted consent for a 1,000 MW gas-fired generating station in October 2011.
	There are currently two live applications for consent under S36 for gas-fired generating stations in England and Wales. The total capacity for those proposed stations is 2,155 MW. There are no live applications for consent for gas-fired power stations in Scotland.

Gas Fired Power Stations

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has made any estimate of the global installed capacity of gas-fired electricity generation in 2010 and the likely level of such capacity in (a) 2020 and (b) 2030.

Charles Hendry: The following table shows global installed capacity for gas-fired electricity generation for 2009 (the latest year for which actual data are available) as well as projected values for 2020 and 2030 under three different scenarios. All of these data have been sourced from the IEA's ‘World Energy Outlook 2011’ publication.
	
		
			  New Policies Scenario global capacity (GW) Current Policies Scenario global capacity (GW) 450 Scenario global capacity (GW) 
			 2009 1,298 1,298 1,298 
			 2020 1,749 1,767 1,727 
			 2030 2,016 2,108 2,014 
		
	
	The central scenario is the New Policies Scenario, in which recent Government policy commitments are assumed to be implemented in a cautious manner even if they are not yet backed up by firm measures. The Current Policies Scenario assumes no new policies are added to those in place as of mid-2011. The 450 Scenario works back from the international goal of limiting the long-term increase in the global mean temperature to two degrees Celsius (2°C) above pre-industrial levels, in order to trace a plausible pathway to that goal.

Gas Fired Power Stations: Carbon Emissions

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to review the level of the Emissions Performance Standard in line with the commercial and technical viability of carbon capture and storage for new gas plants.

Charles Hendry: The level of Emissions Performance Standard for future plant will be reviewed in line with the decarbonisation reports required under s10 of the Energy Act 2010.

Gas Fired Power Stations: Carbon Sequestration

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress he has made on establishing carbon capture and storage demonstration projects for new gas plants.

Charles Hendry: The new CCS competition, ‘the CCS Commercialisation Programme’, which was launched on 3 April, is open to both coal and gas projects. Further details are available on the DECC website at:
	www.decc.gov.uk/occs

Gas Fired Power Stations: Carbon Sequestration

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on requiring new gas plants to be built ready for carbon capture.

Charles Hendry: All new combustion power stations at or over 300 MWe and of a type covered by the large combustion plant directive, including gas, will only be consented if they are carbon capture ready (CCR).

Green Deal Scheme

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to ensure that clear and reliable information is available to those investing in the Green Deal and delivering programmes through the Energy Company Obligation.

Gregory Barker: Officials are engaging collaboratively with industry stakeholders to provide guidance on how investors and delivery agents can enter the market. DECC are developing data processes that investors will be able to use to determine what role they could play.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government will be opening up access to the EPC register from April to authorised participants. This will allow Green Deal providers and Energy Company Obligation operators to target properties that can benefit from their services.
	We are working with the energy companies and financiers to publish historic aggregated electricity payment performance data. This will aid Green Deal providers and financiers to assess the risk of default in the Green Deal in the absence of a Green Deal track record, given that Green Deal repayments will be collected via electricity bills.

Insulation: Housing

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the likelihood of loft and cavity wall insulation meeting the golden rule any ancillary costs are factored in.

Gregory Barker: Expected savings from insulation will vary depending on each specific household or building, while costs will also vary depending on what costs a Green Deal provider chooses to include, subject to our regulations, and what they charge for the various elements. Some properties will be more straightforward to insulate than others, some customers will include insulation as part of other renovations thereby minimising costs, and some Green Deal providers may make savings from operating at scale within an area; we are not mandating costs or what must be included so this is open to Green Deal providers to determine.
	As an example, in a typical three-bed semi where cavity wall insulation and loft top-up is being carried out at a cost of £800, if we assume additional ancillary costs of £200, and a 7.5% interest rate, the payback period would be 10 years with savings continuing to be enjoyed by the customer for the ongoing lifetime of the measures.

Insulation: Housing

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish updated numbers of (a) hard and (b) easy to treat cavities in the impact assessment to be published alongside the Government response to the Green Deal and energy company obligation consultation.

Gregory Barker: Yes, DECC will publish revised assumptions on the number of easy and hard to treat cavity walls not yet insulated in the final Green Deal and energy company obligation impact assessment.

Insulation: Housing

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of remaining (a) hard and (b) easy to treat domestic wall cavities.

Gregory Barker: Estimates of the number of remaining hard and easy to treat cavity wall homes in Great Britain were published by DECC in the Carbon Plan. It was estimated that at the start of July 2011 there were 7.5 million existing uninsulated cavity walls remaining. Of these, 2.6 million were considered easy to treat and 4.9 million hard to treat.
	Estimates for April 2012 will be published at 9.30 am on 28 June 2012 as part of the quarterly statistical release, Energy Trends.

Insulation: Housing

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the potential ancillary costs that the Green Deal will add to the cost of basic loft and cavity wall insulation.

Gregory Barker: DECC has sought views from industry representatives on the potential ancillary costs associated with the installation of certain energy efficiency measures, including solid wall insulation. The assumptions will be included in the final impact assessment for the Green Deal and energy company obligation.

Intellectual Property

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has a role in intellectual property policy development.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 27 March 2012
	Policy relating to intellectual policy, as a stand-alone matter, is for BIS and the Intellectual Property Office, who are an executive agency of BIS. DECC clearly has an interest in ensuring that the intellectual policy is developed in a way that supports innovation in the energy and climate change fields. We would therefore work with BIS on this area, as would other Departments. Any work with BIS on this area would normally be led by DECC's procurement or legal areas. We have consulted them and they are not aware of any DECC work in the intellectual property policy development area, at this time.

Legal Costs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2012, Official Report, column 15W, on HomeSun Holdings, what the final legal costs incurred by his Department were in the case of HomeSun Holdings Ltd v . Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

Gregory Barker: The total legal costs to DECC are not yet known. The costs incurred by DECC to date are approximately £83,870. The costs of HomeSun and the other respondents have not yet been assessed.

Nuclear Power Stations

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether secondees to his Department were involved in the preparation of the subsection of the Final National Policy Statement on Nuclear Power EN-6, June 2011, Volume 1, Part 2, entitled Policy on the need for new nuclear power stations and the benefits of early deployment.

Charles Hendry: No secondees were involved in the preparation of the subsection of the National Policy Statement on Nuclear Power published in June 2011, Volume 1, Part 2, entitled "Policy on the need for new nuclear power stations and the benefits of early deployment". The text was drafted by DECC officials in the light of responses to the consultation on the revised draft NPSs.

Oil: Prices

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions his Department has had (a) at EU level, (b) with the US and (c) with OPEC countries on releasing strategic oil reserves in order to reduce oil prices.

Charles Hendry: The Department of Energy and Climate Change routinely discusses a range of oil market issues with representatives of numerous countries, including the EU, US and some OPEC members. The UK, along with the International Energy Agency, and IEA member countries, will continue to monitor oil market developments carefully, but no decision has been taken to release oil stocks. As IEA Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven recently stated, “the IEA was created to respond to serious physical supply disruptions, and [we] remain ready to act if market conditions so warrant”.

Renewable Energy

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many staff working on Electricity Market Reform (EMR) in his Department have expertise in community-scale renewable energy; and if he will give the staff in his Department working on EMR a remit to ensure that new arrangements encourage community-owned renewable energy schemes.

Charles Hendry: Community-scale renewable energy forms a key part of the Department's large programmes. There are 71.5 staff based in the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment, and an additional team working on the renewable heat incentive. Within these wider programmes, a core team of four people focuses on community-scale renewable energy, with additional assistance from specialists on science and engineering, economics and social research.
	In developing the electricity market reform proposals we are giving consideration to all scales of generation. In addition to drawing on the internal expertise outlined above, we are working with the Distributed Energy Contact Group to understand their views of the new arrangements, and how these can support community-scale schemes.

Renewable Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 8 March 2012, Official Report, column 1002, on low-carbon technologies, if he will publish a list of the installed renewable electricity generation he expects to become operational in 2012.

Gregory Barker: DECC's Restats database holds data on the status of large-scale renewable electricity generation projects, including those under construction. The intended operational date is not captured so it is not possible to tell which projects will become operational in 2012, however the date on which generation commenced is recorded.
	A progress datasheet for February 2012 (the latest data available) can be accessed at:
	https://restats.decc.gov.uk/app/reporting/decc/datasheet

Renewable Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 8 March 2012, Official Report, column 997, on onshore wind energy, what assessment his Department has made of the electricity generation capacity for which (a) there is planning consent and (b) planning permission is being sought for (i) offshore wind, (ii) tidal sources, (iii) small-scale hydro-sources, (iv) large-scale hydro-sources, (v) landfill gas, (vi) sewage sludge, (vii) municipal solid waste combustion, (viii) animal biomass and (ix) plant biomass.

Charles Hendry: DECC's Restats database holds data on the status of large-scale renewable electricity generation projects, including those that have received planning consent or are awaiting a planning decision. A progress datasheet for February 2012 (the latest data available) can be accessed at
	https://restats.decc.gov.uk/app/reporting/decc/datasheet
	A summary of the data is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Potential generation capacity of specified renewable electricity generation technologies 
			 MW 
			  Planning consent granted In planning 
			 Offshore wind 3,888.7 3,424.0 
			 Wave and tidal(1) 40.1 17.5 
			 Small-scale hydro (2)— (2)— 
			 Large-scale hydro 129.6 10.3 
			 Landfill gas 36.1 4.5 
			 Sewage gas 4.5 0 
			 Waste 940.0 279.3 
			 Animal and plant hiomass(3) 2,780.0 1,125.1 
			 (1) Separate data not available for tidal power. (2) See following paragraph. (3) Separate data not available for animal and plant biomass Source: Restats progress datasheet, February 2012 https://restats.decc.gov.uk/app/reporting/decc/datasheet 
		
	
	DECC does not maintain aggregated data on small-scale hydro projects. However, individual projects are listed in the Restats monthly planning database extract available from
	https://restats.decc.gov.uk/cms/planning-database-reports/

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2012, Official Report, column 906W, on renewable energy: feed-in tariffs, whether his Department has estimated the Government's potential liability for loss of income following the Supreme Court ruling on its consultation on the feed-in tariff for solar power.

Gregory Barker: The Government have made no such estimate, as it does not accept that it has any such liability.

Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme

Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to make an announcement on the next stage of policy development for the Renewable Heat Incentive; and whether bioliquids will be included in the scheme. [R]

Gregory Barker: A Departmental Note was laid in Parliament on 26 March 2012 on support for renewable heat technologies in the domestic and non-domestic sectors. Further to that note, we will consult in September 2012 on whether to include bioliquids in the non-domestic RHI and on how we can support renewable heating for households in the longer term.

Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme

Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will meet representatives from the Oil Firing Technical Association to discuss the inclusion of bioliquids in the Renewable Heat Incentive. [R]

Gregory Barker: The Oil Firing Technical Association have written to me to request a meeting to discuss the inclusion of bioliquids in the Renewable Heat Incentive. Due to diary commitments I am unable to meet representatives at this present time. I have asked my officials to meet with Oftec in the first instance to discuss their concerns.

Secondment

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether secondees to the previous Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform were involved in the preparation of the 2008 Nuclear White Paper, Cm 7296, Section 2: Subsection entitled Our proposals on nuclear power: the Government's preliminary view and Government response.

Charles Hendry: No secondees were involved in the preparation of the subsections of the 2008 Nuclear White Paper entitled "Our proposals on nuclear power—the Government's preliminary view" and "Our proposals on nuclear power—Government response ". The text was drafted by BERR officials.

Solar Power: British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assistance his Department has given to the utilisation of solar power in British Overseas Territories.

Gregory Barker: In recognition of the need to improve their domestic energy security, and to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, Overseas Territories occasionally seek support from DECC to help identify suitable and nationally appropriate renewable energy technologies. The Department responds positively to such requests, within resources, by directing the Overseas Territories to both internal and external sources of best practice.
	From 30 March 2012 DECC will provide a single point of contact through which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will direct questions and requests from the Overseas Territories in relation to energy and climate change issues.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many contracts Vodafone has been awarded by his Department in the last 12 months.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has awarded one call-off contract to Vodafone in the last 12 months under a Government wide framework agreement ("Buying Solutions Mobile 11") run by the Government Procurement Service. The contract was awarded on 1 April 2011.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what contracts his Department has with Vodafone.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has one call off contract with Vodafone under a Government wide framework agreement ("Buying Solutions Mobile II") run by the Government Procurement Service. The contract was awarded on 1 April 2011.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many times the Permanent Secretary in his Department has met Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months.

Gregory Barker: Details of meetings between the Permanent Secretary and external organisations are published quarterly on the Department's website.

Warm Front Scheme

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2012, on the Warm Front discount scheme; how many households which have received help with their energy bills are part of (a) the core group, (b) the broader group and (c) the legacy spending element of the previous voluntary agreement through social and discounted tariffs.

Gregory Barker: Information on the final number of households assisted under the scheme from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 will not be known until Ofgem have conducted a review of suppliers’ spending in that year.
	Around 660,000 households have already received a discount under the core group element of the scheme in 2011-12. The Department of Energy and Climate Change published an impact assessment in February 2011 for the scheme which estimated that:
	The broader group element of the scheme will assist a minimum of 26,000 households in 2011-12.
	The legacy spend element of the scheme will assist up to 1.5 million households in 2011-12.
	These estimates assume suppliers will spend £130 million on legacy spending. If suppliers choose to spend less than this, they will be required to assist more broader group households this year.

Wind Power

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost of decommissioning windmills (a) on land and (b) offshore.

Charles Hendry: DECC has not made an assessment of the cost of decommissioning onshore wind turbines. Where the Secretary of State grants consent for an onshore wind farm, he may also grant deemed planning permission and include a condition that requires developers to work with the relevant local planning authorities to make arrangements for the removal of wind farms or individual turbines and for the land to be restored to an acceptable condition at the end of a project's lifetime. Where local authorities grant planning permission for wind farms, they are able to include similar conditions requiring decommissioning of the structures.
	Offshore, there is a statutory decommissioning scheme which allows the Secretary of State to compel wind farm developers to submit costed programmes for the removal of their projects with funds set aside for that purpose. Initial estimates received from wind farm developers indicate a range of figures for potential decommissioning costs (from £31,000 per megawatt to £200,000 per MW) which reflect the different characteristics of the projects concerned and the lack of practical experience to date of decommissioning offshore wind farms around the United Kingdom.

Wind Power: British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assistance his Department has given to the utilisation of wind power in British Overseas Territories.

Gregory Barker: In recognition of the need to improve their domestic energy security, and to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, overseas territories occasionally seek support from DECC to help identify suitable and nationally appropriate renewable energy technologies. The Department responds positively to such requests, within resources, by directing the overseas territories to both internal and external sources of best practice.
	From 30 March 2012 DECC will provide a single point of contact through which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will direct questions and requests from the overseas territories in relation to energy and climate change issues.

CABINET OFFICE

Average Earnings

Tom Clarke: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people earn over £1 million per annum in each parliamentary constituency.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people earn over £1 million per year in each parliamentary constituency. (102928)
	ONS's preferred measure of employee earnings comes from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). ASHE is carried out in April each year and is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom.
	The ASHE sample covers approximately 1 per cent of the UK employee workforce. Given the small number of people with annual earnings of over £1 million, it is not possible to produce reliable statistics for people in this category.

Average Earnings: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average income was of (a) full-time male, (b) full-time female, (c) part-time male and (d) part-time female workers in (i) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (ii) London in the last 12 months.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the average income of (a) full-time male, (b) full-time female, (c) part-time male and (d) part-time female workers was in (i) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (ii) London in the last twelve months. (102118)
	Estimates of average income are not available for the breakdowns requested, so estimates of average earnings have been provided. Average levels of earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for all employees on adult rates of pay whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. The ASHE, carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom.
	The following table shows the median gross weekly earnings for full-time male, full-time female, part-time male and part-time female employee jobs in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and London in April 2011.
	
		
			 Median gross weekly earnings for full-time male, full-time female, part-time male and part- time female employee jobs (a) : (i) Bexleyh eath and Crayford constituency, (ii) London  f or April 2011 
			 £ 
			  B exleyheath and Cray ford (b) London (c) 
			 Full-time male *619.3 706.4 
			 Part-time male X 148.0 
			 Full-time female **438.2 585.2 
			 Part-time female **151.1 179.6 
			 (a) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. (b) Parliamentary constituency. (c) UK region. Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5%, we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220. Key: CV<=5% * CV>5% and <=10% ** CV> 10% and <=20% X Unreliable. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Office for National Statistics.

Average Earnings: Kent

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average income of (a) full-time male, (b) full-time female, (c) part-time male and (d) part-time female workers in (i) Kent and (ii) Dartford constituency were in the last 12 months.

Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The requested information is not available.

Big Society Investment Fund

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many applications for funding from the Big Society Investment Fund there have been to date.

Nick Hurd: The Big Society Investment Fund (BSIF) was open from June 2011 to March 2012, and its purpose was to build the diversity and resilience of the social investment market by investing in well managed, ambitious and financially-sound social investment finance intermediaries (SIFIs).
	The BSIF received 63 applications from SIFIs over this period.

Business

Damian Hinds: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of micro businesses in each parliamentary constituency.

Nick Hurd: The information' requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the number of micro businesses in each parliamentary constituency.
	Annual statistics on the number of enterprises are available from the ONS release; UK Business: Activity, Size and Location at
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	these estimates relate to the count of live businesses in March of each year.
	The latest statistics on the number of enterprises in each parliamentary constituency have been provided in the table. The table provides estimates for the number of enterprises in each parliamentary constituency by employment size. Micro businesses are defined as businesses with employment between 0 and 9.
	Copies of the table have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Census

Anne Main: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of people who have been (a) fined and (b) prosecuted as a result of not completing the 2011 Census.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated April 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which has responsibility for the Census, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what estimate has been made of the number of people who have been (a) fined and (b) prosecuted as a result of not completing the 2011 Census. 102648.
	The prosecution process for failing to complete a 2011 Census questionnaire is still ongoing. As at 3 April 2012, 200 prosecution cases have been concluded, with fines imposed in 198 cases.
	A further 54 cases where prosecutions were started, have resulted in the completion of a census return.
	Details about the number of prosecutions will be published as part of the evaluation of the 2011 Census in due course.

Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he has estimated the prevalence of cybercrime to inform his cybercrime strategy; and how any such estimate has been made.

Francis Maude: holding answer 26 March 2012
	The UK Cyber Security Strategy, published 25 November 2011, combined the UK’s approaches to tackling cybercrime and wider cyber security to create a single, strategic plan to deal with the full range of threats to the UK from cyberspace.
	The estimate of the scale of cybercrime affecting the UK in the strategy was informed by a number of pieces of work including a report “The Cost of Cyber Crime” which was published in February 2011. The report is available at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/cost-of-cyber-crime

Efficiency and Reform Group

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff of the Efficiency and Reform Group were employed (a) in total and (b) at each civil service grade and salary band in (i) May 2010, (ii) November 2010, (iii) May 2011, (iv) November 2011 and (v) on the latest date for which figures are available.

Francis Maude: The Efficiency and Reform Group was created in June 2010. The following table sets out the full-time equivalents (FTEs) employed in the Efficiency and Reform Group on the dates requested. It shows that the headcount of the Efficiency and Reform Group has reduced by 27% since June 2010 and it is operating at the desired "steady state" number of around 440 FTE. The total cost of running the Efficiency and Reform Group has reduced by 38% since June 2010, from around £37 million in 2010-11 to around £23 million.
	During this time, the Efficiency and Reform Group, working with Government Departments, has already delivered £3.75 billion of efficiency savings in 2010-11. Savings for the current financial year are anticipated to be around £5 billion.
	
		
			  June 2010 November 2010 May 2011 November 2011 March 2012 
			 Perm Sec 2 3 1 1 1 
			 SCS3 5 5 2 2 2 
			 SCS2 18 20 12.89 13.89 12.89 
			 SCS1 56.18 56.85 41.88 41.88 38.61 
			 Band A (1)517.09 251.29 190.91 168.8 174.19 
			 B2 (or equivalent) (1)— 174.8 136.66 117.5 124.5 
			 B1 (1)— 60.83 47.89 35.5 59.29 
			 C (1)— 23.72 22.72 21.1 21.13 
			 Other (1)— 0 0 3.6 3.55 
			 Total 598.27 595.49 455.95 405.27 437.16 
			 (1) Indicates brace.

Electronic Government

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether targets exist for the proportion of Government services which citizens can use online.

Francis Maude: We have not set targets for the proportion of Government services which citizens can use online.

Electronic Government

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which Government services can only be accessed online.

Francis Maude: The Government Digital Service in the Cabinet Office is working with Departments to transform their digital services and Departments will publish their digital strategies which will set out their services later in the year. The Government are committed to delivering transactional services digitally by default to ensure digital services are simpler, quicker and easier for citizens to use online and making online the channel of choice. However, we are also aware that Government have a duty to ensure everyone has access to services for which they are eligible and is therefore committed to ensuring that assisted digital services are in place to ensure that no one is left behind by the move to digital by default service delivery.

Emergencies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what account was taken of lessons learned from the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in the revision of the energy sector risk profiles in the 2012 edition of the National Risk Register for Civil Emergencies.

Francis Maude: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) have been reviewing the risks to the energy sector following events at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan last year. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations, Mike Weightman, produced a detailed report on the implications of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami for the UK nuclear industry which was published in September 2011:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/fukushima/
	The report includes an appraisal of the protection of nuclear installations from natural hazards and current arrangements for responding to nuclear emergencies. The National Risk Register will continue to be updated to take account of these findings and the results of work to follow up the recommendations of the Weightman report, but no change was required in the energy sector risk profile in the 2012 edition.

Employment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were employed for each person who had retired in each 10-year period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people were employed for each person who had retired in each 10 year period for which figures are available.
	Specific estimates of the number of people who have retired are not available. For this question, an approximation is available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) by adding together the number of people aged 16 to 64 who are economically inactive due to retirement and the number of people aged 65 and over who are economically inactive.
	The ratio of the number of people aged 16 and over in employment to this above estimate of the number of people in retirement is provided in the following table. Estimates prior to 1993 are not available due to differences in the LFS questionnaire. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			 Ratio of people in employment to people in retirement (1) . Three months ending December, 1993 to 2011. United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Ratio 
			 1993 2.72 
			 1994 2.74 
			 1995 2.77 
			 1996 2.76 
			 1997 2.79 
			 1998 2.79 
			 1999 2.82 
			 2000 2.82 
			 2001 2.83 
			 2002 2.84 
			 2003 2.85 
			 2004 2.86 
			 2005 2.89 
			 2006 2.90 
			 2007 2.88 
			 2008 2.83 
			 2009 2.76 
			 2010 2.76 
			 2011 2.70 
			 Average for 1993 to 2001 inclusive 2.78 
			 Average for 2002 to 2011 inclusive 2.83 
			 (1 )This is the number of people aged 16 and over in employment divided by the sum of (a) people aged 16 to 64 who report that they are economically inactive due to retirement and (b) all people aged 65 and over who are economically inactive. Source: Labour Force Survey (ONS)

Government Departments: Databases

John Denham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the Information Tribunal’s ruling of 18 January 2012 on access to back-up servers, Case No. EA/2011/0152, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies on retention of data on servers after deletion from terminals; whether his guidance on data retention has changed as a result; and whether he plans to publish guidance to Departments on data retention.

Nick Hurd: The Cabinet Office does not intend to issue any guidance on this matter as ensuring compliance with requirements of the FOI Act and the environmental information regulations (EIR) is a matter for individual Departments.

Government Departments: Private Sector

Grahame Morris: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to monitor changes in the level of outsourcing of services to private companies by Government Departments; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office has introduced central controls that currently allow us to monitor specific types of outsourcing deals. These controls are in the process of being strengthened to ensure that, in future, all outsourcing deals in Whitehall come through the Cabinet Office for clearance. This will enable us to look at whether we are using the most appropriate model for delivering services.

Government Departments: Procurement

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he plans to review (a) Government procurement policies in relation to and (b) the effects of Government procurement decisions on small and medium-sized enterprises.

Francis Maude: A year ago the Government launched a package of radical measures to increase opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and to allow us to tap into their creativity and innovation.
	Central Government's direct spend with SMEs is on track to double since we took office from 6.5% to 13.7% by the end of this financial year.
	On 9 March we published the ‘One Year On’ progress report, which gives a breakdown for each Department of their total spend and proportion of spend with SMEs up to and including the end of December 2011:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/making-government-business-more-accessible-smes-one-year
	However, there is an ongoing process to reach our aspiration of 25% of central Government procurement spend being with SMEs by the end of this Parliament. That is why I announced a further package of measures on 9 March to make the way we do business more competitive, more transparent, better value and far simpler than before:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/better-deal-smaller-businesses

Government Departments: Procurement

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of central Government procurement expenditure was spent with small and medium-sized enterprises in the latest period for which figures are available.

Francis Maude: A year ago the Government launched a package of radical measures to increase opportunities for small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) and to allow us to tap into their creativity and innovation.
	Central Government's direct spend with SMEs is on track to double since we took office from 6.5% to 13.7% by the end of this financial year.
	On 9 March we published the ‘One Year On’ progress report, which gives a breakdown for each Department of their total spend and proportion of spend with SMEs up to and including the end of December 2011:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/making-government-business-more-accessible-smes-one-year

Office for National Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what partnership work the Office for National Statistics is currently engaged in.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director-General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office what partnership work the Office for National Statistics is currently engaged in (102307).
	ONS does not hold a central list of all partnership work, which could include commercial or non-commercial arrangements, concordats, Memorandum of understanding or Service Level Agreements, Key Accounts, arrangements with government departments, local authorities, educational or research organisations.
	Examples of partnership working include:
	For the recent 2011 Census, ONS worked in partnership with each of the Local Authority in England and Wales.
	ONS has an on-going partnership with Royal Statistical Society to support the Centre for Statistical Education.
	ONS hold contracts with Fujitsu and MITIE who provide IM and property services respectively.
	In addition, ONS considers the following organisations as Key Accounts:
	Bank of England
	Cabinet Office
	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	Department for Communities and Local Government
	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
	Department for Education and Skills
	Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	Department of Health
	Department for Transport
	Department for Work and Pensions
	Economic and Social Research Council
	Eurostat
	General Register Office
	General Registry Office Scotland
	Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
	HM Treasury
	Home Office
	Local Government Association
	Ministry of Defence
	Ministry of Justice
	National Audit Office
	NHS Information Centre
	Northern Ireland Statistical Research Agency
	Office for Budget Responsibility
	Royal Statistical Society—Statistics User Forum
	Scottish Government
	UK Border Agency
	UK Parliament
	Welsh Government

Older People

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people in each (a) region, (b) local authority and (c) parliamentary constituency are over state pension age.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people in each (a) region, (b) local authority and (c) parliamentary constituency are over state pension age (102745).
	Table 1 shows the number of people of state pension age resident in (a) each region of England and (b) local authority areas within the UK in mid-2010. This is the latest year for which population estimates are available. On 30 June 2010 state pension age was 65 years and over for men and 60 years 57 days and over for women.
	Table 2 shows the number of people aged 65 and over for men and 60 and over for women resident in each parliamentary constituency within the UK in mid-2010. These age groups are the closest available approximation to state pension age at mid-2010 that can be obtained for population estimates by parliamentary constituency.
	Copies of the tables have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Olympic Games 2012

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on (a) consulting and (b) incorporating UK search and rescue personnel and equipment in security plans for the London 2012 Olympics; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: There have been no discussions between myself and the Secretary of State for Defence about consulting with search and rescue personnel, or incorporating UK search and rescue personnel and equipment in security plans for the London 2012 Olympics. The Home Office is the lead Department charged with the delivery of safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic games.

Procurement

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many contracts his Department had with (a) Capita, (b) Serco and (c) ATOS in the last 12 months.

Francis Maude: Since March 2011, Cabinet Office has had four contracts with Capita and three contracts with Serco. The Cabinet Office has no contract with ATOS; however, it uses the current Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) contract for its services.
	As part of my Department's transparency programme, details of contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder:
	http://www.contractsfinder.co.uk

Procurement: EU Action

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he expects the European Union procurement review to conclude.

Francis Maude: The European Commission expects that negotiations on the new public procurement directives, which will replace the utilities and public sector directives (2004/17/EC and 2004/18/EC respectively) will be concluded by the end of 2012 and that the directives will transposed into national law by 30 June 2014.
	While the UK's response to the Green Paper is in the public domain
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/0707UKGPpbResponsefinal%20(2).pdf
	our negotiating position is not public. However, our response to the proposals is contained in the Explanatory Memorandum to Parliament (reference numbers 18966/11, COM(2011) 896 final, 2011/0438 (COD).

Public Sector: Construction

Derek Twigg: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to ensure public sector construction projects deliver value for money.

Francis Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for North Swindon (Justin Tomlinson) on 14 March 2012, Official Report, column 332W.

Unemployment: Ethnic Groups

Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the current level of unemployment is among black males aged 16 to 25; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the current level of unemployment is among black males aged 16 to 25. 103240
	Estimates of unemployment come from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). For the period October-December 2011 it is estimated that there were 38,000 unemployed men aged 16 to 25 inclusive who reported their ethnicity as Black.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. It is estimated that the true value is likely to lie between 22,000 and 53,000.

Well-being

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  whether his Department's measurement of happiness differentiates between (a) remembered and (b) current experienced happiness;
	(2)  what research the Office for National Statistics has conducted on (a) well-being and (b) happiness; and whether any such research differentiated between remembered and experienced happiness.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director-General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions:
	In April 2011 ONS introduced four subjective well-being questions onto the ONS Integrated Household Survey (IHS). The four questions are as follows:
	Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?
	Overall, to what extent do you feel that the things you do in your life are worthwhile?
	Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday?
	Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?
	The first two questions ask respondents to evaluate their well-being in broader terms than the second two questions, which ask about respondents to recall the previous day.
	On 28 February 2012, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published a research report entitled 'Analysis of experimental subjective well-being data from the Annual Population Survey, April to September 2011’ which presents initial estimates of subjective well-being from six months of the Annual Population Survey (APS) carried out between April and September 2011. This report is available from the following weblink:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/wellbeing/measuring-subjective-wellbeing-in-the-uk/analysis-of-experimental-subjective-well-being-data-from-the-annual-population-survey--april---september-2011/report-april-to-september-2011.html
	ONS is looking at a number of ways of assessing well-being. Those we are currently using are generally about remembered 'happiness', or psychological well-being, rather than 'happiness' experienced at a point in time or while doing particular activities.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Bill of Rights

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the Commission on a Bill of Rights.

Mark Harper: The Deputy Prime Minister met the Commission on a Bill of Rights on 21 March with the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), and Lord McNally. They discussed the Commission's recent and future work as well as the current state of play on the Government's plans to reform the European Court of Human Rights during the UK's current chairmanship of the Council of Europe.

Constituencies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on reducing the size of the Executive.

Mark Harper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Deputy Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Blackley and Broughton (Graham Stringer) on 11 October 2011, Official Report, column 168.

Devolution

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received from the Commission on the consequences of devolution for the House of Commons.

Mark Harper: I have, to date, received no representations from the Commission on the consequence of devolution for the House of Commons.

House of Lords: Reform

Paul Murphy: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on reform of the House of Lords.

Mark Harper: There have been no official discussions with the Welsh Government on House of Lords reform.

Lobbying: Registration

Jon Trickett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has had from (a) charities and (b) trade unions about the consultation on a statutory register of lobbyists.

Mark Harper: The Government published initial proposals on establishing a statutory register of lobbyists in a consultation document on 20 January. Following the end of the consultation period on 13 April, the Government will carefully consider all representations received and publish their response to the consultation. It would not be appropriate to comment on representations received to date in advance of this.

Primary Elections

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to the coalition agreement, what progress he has made on proposals to fund all-postal primaries.

Mark Harper: ‘The Coalition: our programme for government’ says that all-postal primaries will be “targeted at seats which have not changed hands for many years”. Following legislation last year, the Boundary Commissions for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are consulting on changes to constituency boundaries, which will have implications for most existing constituencies. The Government will take this into account in determining the way forward on this proposal.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Tajikistan on the involvement of regional powers in the future of Afghanistan before and after the departure of ISAF forces.

Alistair Burt: Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly discuss Afghanistan with their Tajik counterparts, and the UK participates in regional co-operation talks alongside Tajikistan. I attended the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan in November 2011, where regional countries including Tajikistan agreed to work together in a range of fields up to and beyond 2014. We continue to play a part as a supporter of the Istanbul Process.
	In addition, senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials attended the Fifth Regional Economic Co-operation Conference on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, on 26 to 27 March 2012, where they met with Deputy Foreign Minister Zohidov.

Afghanistan

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Turkmenistan on the involvement of regional powers in the future of Afghanistan before and after the departure of ISAF forces.

Alistair Burt: Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly discuss Afghanistan with their Turkmen counterparts, and the UK participates in regional co-operation talks alongside Turkmenistan. I attended the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan in November 2011, where regional countries including Turkmenistan agreed to work together in a range of fields up to and beyond 2014. We continue to play a part as a supporter of the Istanbul Process.
	In addition, senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials attended the Fifth Regional Economic Co-operation Conference on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, on 26 to 27 March.

Afghanistan

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Uzbekistan on the involvement of regional powers in the future of Afghanistan before and after the departure of ISAF forces.

Alistair Burt: Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly discuss Afghanistan with their Uzbek counterparts, and the UK participates in regional co-operation talks alongside Uzbekistan. I attended the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan in November 2011, where regional countries including Uzbekistan agreed to work together in a range of fields up to and beyond 2014. We continue to play a part as a supporter of the Istanbul Process.
	In addition, senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials attended the Fifth Regional Economic Co-operation Conference on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, on 26 to 27 March. We have encouraged Uzbekistan to play a full role in these fora.

Afghanistan

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Kyrgyzstan on the involvement of regional powers in the future of Afghanistan before and after the departure of ISAF forces.

Alistair Burt: Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly discuss Afghanistan with their Kyrgyz counterparts, and the UK participates in regional cooperation talks alongside Kyrgyzstan. I attended the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan in November 2011, where regional countries including Kyrgyzstan agreed to work together in a range of fields up to and beyond 2014. We continue to play a part as a supporter of the Istanbul Process.
	In addition, senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials attended the Fifth Regional Economic Co-operation Conference on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, on 26-27 March 2012.

Afghanistan

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of China on the involvement of regional powers in the future of Afghanistan before and after the departure of ISAF forces.

Alistair Burt: Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly discuss Afghanistan with their Chinese counterparts, and the UK participates in regional cooperation talks alongside China. I attended the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan in November 2011, where regional countries including China agreed to work together in a range of fields up to and beyond 2014. We continue to play a part as a supporter of the Istanbul Process.
	In addition, senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials attended the Fifth Regional Economic Co-operation Conference on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, on 26-27 March.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), last discussed Afghanistan with State Councillor Dai Bingguo during the Strategic Dialogue with China in September 2011.

Afghanistan

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of India on the involvement of regional powers in the future of Afghanistan before and after the departure of ISAF forces.

Alistair Burt: Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly discuss Afghanistan with their Indian counterparts, and the UK participates in regional co-operation talks alongside India. I attended the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan in November 2011, where regional countries including India agreed to work together in a range of fields up to and beyond 2014. We continue to play a part as a supporter of the Istanbul Process.
	In addition, senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials attended the Fifth Regional Economic Co-operation Conference on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, on 26-27 March.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), last discussed Afghanistan with Indian Foreign Minister Krishna during their meeting of 30 June 2011 and looks forward to further discussions with Prime Minister Singh later this year.

Afghanistan

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the government of Pakistan on the involvement of regional powers in the future of Afghanistan before and after the departure of ISAF forces.

Alistair Burt: Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly discuss Afghanistan with their Pakistani counterparts, and the UK participates in regional co-operation talks alongside Pakistan. I attended the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan in November 2011, where regional countries including Pakistan agreed to work together in a range of fields up to and beyond 2014. We continue to play a part as a supporter of the Istanbul Process.
	In addition, senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials attended the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, on 26-27 March.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), last discussed Afghanistan with Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on 21 February during her visit to London.

Afghanistan

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Russia on the involvement of regional powers in the future of Afghanistan before and after the departure of ISAF forces.

Alistair Burt: Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials regularly discuss Afghanistan with their Russian counterparts, and the UK participates in regional co-operation talks alongside Russia. I attended the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan in November 2011, where regional countries including Russia agreed to work together in a range of fields up to and beyond 2014. We continue to play a part as a supporter of the Istanbul Process.
	In addition, senior FCO officials attended the Fifth Regional Economic Co-operation Conference on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, on 26-27 March.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), discussed Afghanistan with Foreign Minister Lavrov during their meeting in September 2011, and the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), discussed Afghanistan with Deputy Foreign Minister Titov on 26 January 2012 during his visit to the UK.

Afghanistan

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Turkey on the involvement of regional powers in the future of Afghanistan before and after the departure of ISAF forces.

Alistair Burt: Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials regularly discuss Afghanistan with their Turkish counterparts, and the UK participates in regional co-operation talks alongside Turkey. I attended the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan in November 2011, where regional countries including Turkey agreed to work together in a range of fields up to and beyond 2014. We continue to play a part as a supporter of the Istanbul Process.
	In addition, senior FCO officials attended the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, on 26-27 March.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), discussed Afghanistan with Foreign Minister Davatoglu during the Turkish State Visit in November 2011, and the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan met with the Turkish ambassador on 12 January 2012.

Afghanistan

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the government of Iran on the involvement of regional powers in the future of Afghanistan before and after the departure of ISAF forces.

Alistair Burt: In line with our approach to Iran, we have not had direct talks with the Government of Iran on the involvement of regional powers in the future of Afghanistan before and after the departure of ISAF forces, Iran has participated in the Istanbul Process and the Regional Economic Co-operation Conference on Afghanistan, alongside other regional powers and the UK.

Alcoholic Drinks

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total spending on wine and other alcoholic beverages was by his Department in the last six months.

David Lidington: This information is not held centrally and is available only at disproportionate cost.
	Any such spending is undertaken for business reasons, and expenditure on business hospitality is kept under rigorous scrutiny to ensure value for money and effectiveness and is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money.

Antarctic

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to support British activities in the Antarctic region.

Henry Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office leads on overall Antarctic policy and maintains an influential role for the UK within the Antarctic Treaty System. We also take seriously our responsibilities to effectively administer the British Antarctic Territory. In this year of Captain Scott's centenary we will carry on working closely with the British Antarctic Survey and others to support their dual mission of science and presence in the region. We will ensure that British activities in Antarctica are appropriately supported, but also effectively regulated. We will continue to coordinate interest and activity in the Antarctic alongside other Government Departments, including the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Ascension Island

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what basis catch levels have been (a) assessed and (b) set in the granting of commercial fishing licences in Ascension Island.

Henry Bellingham: Fisheries protection is the responsibility of Overseas Territory Governments. I understand, however, that the pilot Ascension Island fishery has been selling licences since 2010. Once sufficient catch data have been gathered, they will be assessed in order to allow the Ascension Island Government to develop an informed sustainable fishery policy.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the Bosnian Government on establishment and implementation of its Anti-Corruption Agency in order to facilitate EU membership.

David Lidington: Our embassy in Sarajevo is in regular contact with the Ministry of Security about developments on the establishment of the State Anti-Corruption Agency. Our embassy is closely co-ordinating with the EU who are leading on support to the agency through a EUR 2 million project, funded through the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA), that is due to start in mid-2012. Our embassy is complementing the EU work through conflict pool programme funding to support the effective implementation of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Anti-Corruption Strategy at the entity level in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

British Antarctic Survey

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding his Department provided to support the work of the British Antarctic Survey in the latest period for which figures are available.

Henry Bellingham: The British Antarctic Survey is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, to provide for the UK a dual mission of world class science and an influential presence in Antarctica and within the Antarctic Treaty System. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also provides an annual contribution of £500,000 to the British Antarctic Survey to manage King Edward Point base on South Georgia, which supports the administration of the Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

British Indian Ocean Territory

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost to date is of legal expenditure in respect of defending actions brought by Chagos Islanders in respect of the British Indian Ocean Territories.

Henry Bellingham: Since 2001, the total cost to date of legal expenditure defending actions brought by the Chagossians in respect of the British Indian Ocean Territory is £1,826,365.25 including VAT.

China

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on the Chinese Government’s policy on tiger conservation.

Jeremy Browne: I wrote to the Chinese ambassador on 3 February about the Chinese Government’s current and planned policy on tiger conservation. To date, I have not received a response.

Civil Servants: Codes of Practice

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many investigations into breaches by civil servants of the Civil Service Code of Conduct occurred in his Department in each month from May 2010 to March 2012.

Henry Bellingham: Central records are only held for Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff who have faced formal disciplinary action after investigation for breaching the Civil Service Code of Conduct. Records are not held for investigations where there was no case to answer. There were fewer than five cases in each month between May 2010 and March 2012 where FCO civil servants breached the Civil Service Code of Conduct that resulted in formal disciplinary action. For reasons of confidentiality, and to avoid the possibility of revealing the identities of individual staff, the FCO, in line with Cabinet Office guidance, does not disclose more detailed information when overall numbers amount to fewer than five. However, annual figures for 2010 (May to December) were a total of 22 cases; for 2011 (January to December) a total of 22 cases; and 2012 (January to March) there have been five cases.

Correspondence

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to respond in full to the letter from Stephenson Harwood Solicitors of 23 February 2012 on behalf of Dr Ahmad Azizi and Mr Ali Sedghi.

Alistair Burt: The Treasury Solicitors Department wrote to Stephenson Harwood on 2 April 2012 stating that the Government anticipates providing a substantive response by 20 April 2012. The response will be reviewed by Counsel before it issues because Stephenson Harwood have indicated that they may seek judicial review and accordingly the response will be treated as pre-action correspondence.

Diplomatic Service

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department takes in scrutinising the appointment of diplomats to embassies and high commissions in the UK to ensure that such appointments do not provide immunity to alleged war criminals.

Henry Bellingham: Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Defence Attachés must receive formal approval from Her Majesty's Government before taking up their positions in the UK. Other diplomats are subject to standard entry clearance procedures as necessary. If allegations of criminal activity of any kind are made against a foreign diplomat in the UK, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office can, if appropriate, request the withdrawal of the diplomat in question or seek a waiver of the diplomat's immunity to allow investigations to take place.

Diplomatic Service: Arabic Language

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Arabic-speaking British national diplomatic staff in UK embassies and consulates work in (a) Arab and (b) non-Arab countries.

Henry Bellingham: In support of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Diplomatic Excellence initiative we are aiming to significantly raise standards of staff language skills throughout the organisation. We are strategically targeting key positions overseas to ensure extra training improves the language capability of staff; especially to be able to negotiate and influence more effectively. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) recently announced that the FCO is also opening a new language centre, which will train up to 500 members of staff a year.
	Approximately 6% of the overall FCO workforce have registered Arabic skills at some level. Of these Arabic speakers, approximately 21% are in Arabic speaking countries overseas with a further 10% in middle east and North Africa Directorate and Africa Directorate in London. The other 69% of our Arabic speakers are based either in overseas posts in non-Arabic speaking countries or other parts of the FCO in London.

Email

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the period for which e-mails sent and received by (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department are retained; and whether such e-mails are recoverable from the IT systems in his Department after that period.

David Lidington: E-mails, along with other forms of official correspondence, are subject to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) records management policies: they must be stored and shared appropriately, and reviewed for possible preservation as part of the public record. The FCO's submissions, responses and other key information and correspondence, including e-mails, are formally recorded by the relevant FCO department.
	The FCO's e-mail systems do not automatically delete e-mails. E-mails which are not recorded or saved elsewhere are retained until they are deleted by the user and recipients. When an individual leaves the FCO, the user account is normally deleted by the FCO's central help desk after six months.

Hungary

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his (a) EU and (b) Hungarian counterparts on the issuance of Hungarian passports to ethnic Hungarians who are not Hungarian nationals or resident in Hungary; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The UK Government have not discussed this issue either with EU or Hungarian counterparts. The UK believes that regulations on citizenship are a matter for each member state and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment on Hungarian domestic legislation in this area.

Middle East

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the Palestinian Authority’s adherence to its road map commitment to end incitement against Israel.

Alistair Burt: The UK is not aware of any specific evidence of anti-Semitic or anti-Jewish incitement by the Palestinian Authority. The road map stipulates that a tri-partite committee would look at incidents of incitement, to which any party can appeal.
	The UK Government oppose the advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence in all circumstances. I issued a press statement on 23 January condemning inflammatory words used by the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and others at an event in January marking the 47th anniversary of the Fatah movement. As I said then, the UK is against any comments that could stir up hatred and prejudice in a region that needs a culture of peace and mutual respect.
	We are concerned by any instances of incitement which appear in the Palestinian media.

Nagorno Karabakh

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will use the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the OSCE Minsk Group talks over Nagorno Karabakh to urge the co-chairs to increase their efforts to secure the withdrawal of Armenian forces in line with UN Security Council resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884.

David Lidington: The UK fully supports the work of the OSCE Minsk Group and their efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and calls for both Armenia and Azerbaijan to redouble their efforts to achieve a sustainable peace agreement for the stability and security of the region.
	Last December, the co-chairs of the Minsk Group (US, France and Russia) and the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents issued a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to peace and identifying areas of potential co-operation, such as a mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations.
	On the twentieth anniversary of the formation of the OSCE Minsk Group, we continue to support its efforts to improve the likelihood of a peaceful resolution to the conflict by working with the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of how the promotion of the peaceful use of nuclear energy assists implementation of the National Counter Proliferation Strategy 2012-15; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The National Counter Proliferation Strategy 2012-15 is clear that the UK will work in support of the rules based international system of counter proliferation treaties, regimes and organisations that underpin global security and prosperity—as well as working bilaterally and through ad hoc groupings.
	The key international agreement for countering nuclear proliferation is the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which entered into force in 1970. For its 190 states parties the Treaty aims to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, ultimately eliminate them and enshrines the right to access and develop nuclear energy in a safe and secure environment.
	Her Majesty's Government actively supports all three Treaty Pillars (non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful use of nuclear energy) and is clear that the National Counter Proliferation Strategy 2012-15 is complemented by the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Such promotional activities are currently taking place largely under the umbrella of the International Engagement Strategy on Civil Nuclear (agreed by Government in 2011). These include:
	Engagement with priority countries where commercial and political levers can help achieve progress on the National Counter Proliferation Strategy;
	Providing a single point of contact on civil nuclear across HMG—the Cross Whitehall Advisory Group—and creating a closer relationship with Industry and academia. This Group feeds into existing structures, in particular the Counter Proliferation Implementation Committee that itself is guided by the National Counter Proliferation Strategy;
	Increasing UK engagement with multinational organisations, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, Nuclear Energy Agency, International Framework For Nuclear Energy Co-operation and the World Nuclear University, and wider political fora, such as the EU and G8/G20. Strengthening these organisations and our relationships with them will help ensure that the development of peaceful uses globally—not just nuclear power—helps us to meet the objectives of the National Counter Proliferation Strategy.

Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he plans to provide additional resources to the UK diplomatic network to support implementation of the National Counter Proliferation Strategy 2012-15 announced on 23 March 2012.

Alistair Burt: The National Counter Proliferation Strategy 2012-15 is a cross Government initiative which draws on resources from across Whitehall to deliver it. The work is co-ordinated through and answerable to the National Security Council, where Counter Proliferation is a priority.
	Counter Proliferation is already a priority area for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s diplomatic network. The FCO recently set up a new Department, Arms Export Policy Department, which sits alongside the existing Counter Proliferation Department to reflect the importance of countering the proliferation of conventional weapons as well as weapons of mass destruction. Over 30 staff from British embassies in priority countries for Counter Proliferation work met in London recently with their Whitehall counterparts to discuss implementation of counter proliferation priorities. The FCO's resources for Counter Proliferation work are kept under regular review and are considered in the context of the increase in overall resources in the diplomatic network for priority emerging countries.

Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take following the March 2012 Global Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul.

Alistair Burt: The Deputy Prime Minister led the UK delegation to the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul on 26-27 March. He reported significant achievements against our national commitments from the first summit in Washington in 2010, and made new commitments for the two years up to the next summit in the Netherlands in 2014.
	These commitments include further provision of financial and expert assistance for nuclear and radiological security improvements overseas, via our Global Threat Reduction Programme and working with the IAEA, the US, and other international partners; the use of our 2013 presidency of the Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction to drive forward international co-operation on threat reduction programmes; continuing work through multinational fora such as the Global Initiative on Combating Nuclear Terrorism to support the international development of capabilities in nuclear forensics, detection and emergency response; and further work to assist the IAEA in international implementation of nuclear security education and training programmes.
	Domestically, the commitments include the further development of plans for the future management of our inventory of separated civil plutonium; and the further improvement of our civil nuclear security governance through a new Office for Nuclear Regulation.
	The Deputy Prime Minister also led a statement by 31 countries committing to specific action to improve the security of nuclear information. We will continue to lead and assist international efforts in this field.

Palestinians

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent representations his Department has received on the honouring by the Palestinian Authority of Palestinian citizens that have participated in terrorist acts;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Palestinian Authorities on the naming of cultural and sporting events after Palestinian terrorists.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not received any recent representation on this issue. Our officials in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have not had any discussions with the Palestinian Authority on this issue. As we do not have any direct contact with Hamas, we cannot make any representations about events taking place in the Gaza Strip.
	The Government deplore all incitement to violence. We have strongly supported the Palestinian Authority's programme of reform of its institutions of state, including the security sector. The Palestinian Authority has made considerable progress in this regard, meaning a more effective government and an improved security situation, with the Palestinian Authority meeting its core commitments under the Quartet Roadmap.

Somalia

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to his counterparts in countries surrounding Somalia to act collectively against acts of piracy.

Henry Bellingham: Regional engagement is at the heart of our counter-piracy strategy for piracy off the coast of Somalia. This is why we invited representatives from over 50 countries to London in February for the Conference on Somalia, including high-level representation from a number of key regional countries. As Minister for Africa, I have engaged regularly with my counterparts in these countries, and in particular I worked closely with my counterparts in Kenya, Tanzania, the Seychelles and Mauritius to secure a regional burden-sharing agreement to further our collective efforts to tackle the scourge of piracy. I am committed to ensuring that this close dialogue and cooperation with countries in the region continues.

South Sudan

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the security situation in South Sudan.

Henry Bellingham: We are concerned at the ongoing inter-communal conflicts within South Sudan, particularly in Jonglei State and in the triangle between Warrap, Lakes and Unity States. Protection of civilians should be the first priority, and we support the efforts of the Government of South Sudan, supported by the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), in that regard. We support efforts to disarm communities, but have urged the Government of South Sudan to carry this out in a way that does not spark further violence. They should also investigate all allegations of abuses by security forces.
	We urge the Government of South Sudan to redouble their efforts to defuse tension and find permanent means of addressing grievances between communities.
	We are also concerned about the military actions in recent days in the area of the border between the Republic of South Sudan and the Republic of Sudan. We have called on both governments to cease aggressive acts, to stop all support to armed groups in each other's territory, and to abide by their Memorandum of Understanding on Non-Aggression and Co-operation signed on 10 February.

Sri Lanka

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Sri Lanka.

Alistair Burt: There are currently no plans for a ministerial visit to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage dialogue between Singhalese and Tamil communities in Sri Lanka.

Alistair Burt: The Government firmly believe that the only way to achieve lasting and equitable peace in Sri Lanka is through genuine national reconciliation. The UK engages with all members of the Sri Lankan community who share this goal. We regularly meet with members of the Sinhalese, Muslim and Tamil communities to discuss this and other issues in Sri Lanka.
	We urge the Sri Lankan Government to take the necessary steps to implement the recommendations of their Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission as soon as possible, which would significantly advance Sri Lanka's recovery from conflict.

Sri Lanka

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed with his EU counterparts the possible imposition of travel restrictions on people accused of committing human rights abuses in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: There have been no discussions with EU counterparts on possible travel restrictions on the Sri Lankans accused of committing human rights abuses.
	In August 2010, the EU decided to suspend its Generalised System of Preferences+ trading agreement with Sri Lanka in response to its failure to comply with a number of international human rights agreements.

Sri Lanka

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of people who have been removed with escorts to Sri Lanka who have (a) maintained contact with the British high commission and (b) been interviewed or arrested by the Sri Lankan authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: Since 2008, the British high commission in Colombo has provided its contact details to around 250 returnees. In addition, many returnees are involved in community-based projects.
	All chartered flight returnees are interviewed by the Sri Lankan authorities. Six returnees have been arrested by the Sri Lankan authorities, five of them for document fraud.

Sudan: South Sudan

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of (a) Sudan and (b) South Sudan on the protection of Christian communities in those countries.

Henry Bellingham: We have spoken to both Governments about the importance of protecting freedom of expression and the right of assembly. Our embassy in Khartoum in particular holds regular meetings with representatives of faith-based groups, and advocates the protection of minority rights as part of the ongoing constitutional review debate in the Republic of Sudan. Freedom of religion is part of the constitution of South Sudan, and South Sudan is a majority Christian country where we see no evidence of religious discrimination. The UK strongly supports the enduring presence of church groups as crucial partners for peace and development in South Sudan.

Syria

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to whether Shorland armoured cars manufactured by Short Brothers and approved for export to Syria in the 1980s have been patrolling the streets of Homs.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of, but cannot confirm, reports that Shorland armoured cars have been patrolling the streets of Homs.
	The Government take their arms export responsibilities very seriously, and operate one of the most rigorous arms export control regimes in the world. We do not export equipment where there is a clear risk that it might be used for internal repression. We do not issue licences for goods which might be used for internal repression in Syria. While we can, under certain circumstances, revoke export licences, we cannot recall equipment once exported, especially when the export may have taken place so long ago.

Syria

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of human rights abuses in Syria.

Alistair Burt: I condemn the Syrian regime for its continuing violence against civilians. The UN estimates many more than 9,000 people have been killed since March 2011. The UN's Commission of Inquiry reported that the Syrian regime has perpetrated widespread and systematic human rights violations, including torture and rape of men, women and children. The UK strongly endorses the work of the Commission. UK experts have visited countries neighbouring Syria to collect testimony from those who have experienced the Syrian regime's abuses. We see these accounts contributing to a process where those responsible for these horrifying acts will be held to account for their actions.
	The Commission of Inquiry has also reported on abuses being committed by members of anti-government groups. While it is clear that these abuses are on a far smaller scale than those violations committed by the Syrian authorities, this cannot be condoned. The UK continues to urge all parties to respect international human rights law and international standards, in order to protect the Syrian people, including the growing number of internally displaced people and refugees.
	Details of the Commission of Inquiry activities including their report can be found on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights website:
	www.ohchr.org

USA

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had on (a) US-UK extradition arrangements and (b) sustainable development and climate change during his recent visit to Washington DC.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), held several meetings during his recent visit to the US, in addition to those he attended with the Prime Minister. The issues of extradition, sustainable development and climate change were not raised during these. Officials continue to work closely with their US counterparts on both of these issues.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts Vodafone has been awarded by his Department in the last 12 months.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has a contract with Vodafone which provides mobile telephones and data services in the UK. This was originally signed on 6 November 2009, and recently extended on 5 December 2011 under the Government Procurement Service, Mobile Solutions (II) Framework Agreement.
	The FCO has a network of over 260 posts overseas. Some of these posts will have contracts with local mobile telephone providers, of which some will be with Vodafone partners. The information on such contracts, and if they were awarded in the last 12 months, is not held centrally and would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contracts his Department has with Vodafone.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has a contract with Vodafone which provides mobile telephones and data services in the UK.
	The FCO has a network of over 260 posts overseas. Some of these posts will have contracts with local mobile telephone providers, of which, some will be with Vodafone partners. The information on such contracts is not held centrally and would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times the permanent under-secretary in his Department has met Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months.

David Lidington: Simon Fraser, the permanent under-secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has met Matthew Kirk, Group External Affairs Director of Vodafone, twice: once at a business breakfast event on 11 May 2011, and subsequently at a lunch meeting on 18 July 2011. Mr Fraser has had no other meetings with Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months.
	All external meetings (excluding FCO hospitality) are published on the FCO website:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/transparency-and-data1/hospitality/#Ministers

Western Sahara

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 29 February 2012, Official Report, column 399W, on Western Sahara, whether any Special Rapporteur, other than Farida Shaheed, have visited Western Sahara since UN Security Council Resolution 1979 was adopted.

Alistair Burt: No Special Rapporteurs, other than Farida Shaheed, have visited Western Sahara since UNSCR 1979 was adopted.

Western Sahara

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 29 February 2012, Official Report, column 399W, on Western Sahara, how long Farida Shaheed spent in Western Sahara; what sites she visited; and whether she will produce a report before the MINURSO mandate is due for renewal.

Alistair Burt: Farida Shaheed visited Dakhla in Western Sahara on 11 and 12 September 2011. She visited the local authorities, local handicraft centres and associations working on issues related to the documentation and the preservation of heritage.
	Her full report is expected in June 2012, after the renewal of MINURSO's mandate by the United Nations Security Council in April. Her preliminary conclusions and observations are available at:
	www.ohchr.org

Western Sahara

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the actions of Moroccan forces in the houses of Saharawi Abdallahi Souayeh, Sid Ahmed Nailad and Bachir Sid Ahmed Mahjoub in El Aaiun, Western Sahara, on 11 August 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We do not have information on these individuals, beyond what is available in the public domain. However, we raise the importance of human rights in Western Sahara with the Moroccan authorities on a regular basis and encourage the Moroccan authorities to ensure that channels exist for human rights complaints to be properly investigated.

Yemen

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the next Friends of Yemen meeting in Riyadh will take place.

Alistair Burt: The next Ministerial Friends of Yemen meeting will take place in Riyadh on 23 May. This was announced on 23 March, after the UK hosted a Friends of Yemen Senior Officials meeting in preparation for the Ministerial.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Tax Benefit

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the effect on lone parents with (a) one child and (b) two children in receipt of working tax credit of (i) a 16% reduction in council tax benefit awards and (ii) an increase in the taper to 25%.

Bob Neill: holding answer 26 March 2012
	The Department published an Impact Assessment on 19 December 2011
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/2053960.pdf

Council Tax Benefits

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of likely changes to the number of pensioners who will take up council tax benefit if localisation of the benefit is introduced.

Bob Neill: holding answer 26 March 2012
	I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 24 January 2012, Official Report, columns 135-36W.

Growing Places Fund

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much of the Growing Places Fund has been used to build homes to date.

Grant Shapps: The £770 million Growing Places Fund is intended to support local infrastructure projects which unlock housing and economic growth. The original allocation of £500 million was distributed to respective Local Enterprise Partnerships in February and then in March's Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced an additional £270 million which was distributed to all Enterprise Partnerships before the end of the 2011-12 financial year. As we outlined in the Fund's prospectus, this is an unringfenced grant so it will be for local areas to decide priorities and which projects to support, and we have not set any top-down targets for the number of houses to be built.

Housing: Armed Forces

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he has taken to support former members of the armed forces to secure social housing.

Grant Shapps: I am determined to help current and former members of the armed forces gain the housing they deserve. Last year I held a housing summit, as part of the military covenant, to discuss how we could ensure that housing was a priority for people who returned from active service for this country.
	We are currently consulting on plans to change the law, by regulation, so that former personnel with urgent housing needs are always given high priority on waiting lists, and that personnel who move from base to base do not lose their qualification rights.
	We are also consulting on new statutory social allocations guidance for local councils, setting out how their allocation schemes can give priority to current or ex-service personnel, including through the use of local preference criteria and local lettings policies.
	We aim to lay the secondary legislation as early as possible after the consultation period has closed.
	I also refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 578-79W.

Housing: Prisoners

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what housing advice his Department offers to offenders prior to their release from prison.

Crispin Blunt: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Justice.
	The National Offender Management Service provides the majority of housing advice services in prisons. It commissions these services from voluntary sector providers, such as NACRO, St Giles Trust, St Mungo's and Shelter, save in those establishments where Governors have trained prison or probation staff available.
	In some other prisons trained prisoner peer mentors provide housing advice, under staff supervision.
	Additionally, local housing authorities provide housing advice in the following four prison establishments:
	HMP Nottingham: Broxtowe borough council were successful in bidding for Trailblazer funding to provide monthly housing surgeries; this project has expanded, and the housing surgeries are now attended by representatives from as many as 17 local housing authorities
	HMP Lewes: Hastings borough council leads a partnership of local housing authorities which provide a housing support worker in Lewes prison
	HMPs Holme House and Low Newton: Middlesbrough council has led a partnership for service provision by Teesside-area local authorities.
	A further four housing authorities (Kettering, Melton, Sheffield and Stoke) work in partnership with prisons to offer Housing Options services to serving prisoners.

Land: Auctions

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many community land auction pilots the Government plans to run; where each will be conducted; in each case, which local authority or agency will be responsible for managing the auction; which local authority or agency will capture the value gain; and when the pilots will commence;
	(2)  whether the community land auction pilots announced in the 2011 Budget will be conducted using (a) publicly-owned land, (b) privately owned agricultural land and (c)  privately-owned industrial or non-agricultural land;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the markets for (a) housing and (b) land in each of the areas proposed for community land auction pilots announced in the 2011 Budget; and if he will place a copy of any such assessment in the Library;
	(4)  what his criteria is for selecting the areas for pilot community land auctions.

Grant Shapps: In the “Laying the Foundations: a housing strategy for England” (November 2011) we set out that we would undertake a pilot of the land disposal elements of the land auctions model on public land. We are working with the local authorities in Hastings and West Lancashire on land owned by the Homes and Communities Agency and the local authority in Richmondshire on land owned by the Ministry of Defence.
	The local authorities are taking the leading role in the Pilot, working in partnership with the landowners. They will make arrangements for applying for development consents and will sell the sites in open competition, sharing the uplift in land value with the landowners, in the way agreed between them.
	As a pilot to test this approach we were keen to have sites of different sizes and characteristics, but importantly where local partners wanted to be involved and where the sites could support local need and objectives for housing. The Department will be capturing the learning and evidence from the pilot to inform the Government's further consideration of ways in which the land auctions model could be used more widely.

Mayors: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2012, Official Report, column 486W, on mayors: Greater Manchester, if he will bring forward proposals for a mayor of the Greater Manchester City Region covering all 10 metropolitan districts.

Greg Clark: As I explained in response to the hon. Member's earlier question, the Government's commitment is to city mayors delivered through the Localism Act; there is no legislative basis for creating city region mayors.

Planning Permission: Chester

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish his response to Mr Reg Barritt's complaint on the Duty to Involve.

Bob Neill: I shall be writing to Mr Barritt shortly, copying in my hon. Friend.

Regeneration: Urban Areas

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to ensure that learning from the urban regeneration at the Olympic Park is used as a framework for urban regeneration in the UK.

Bob Neill: Although, following the Localism Act 2011, responsibility for the Olympic Legacy will pass to the London Mayor, the Government are keen that lessons are learnt from the success and future regeneration of the Olympic Park and will continue to engage in its dissemination as appropriate. This is, however, best done by those involved in the work, and in addition to the Olympic Delivery Authority's Learning Legacy project, the Olympic Park Legacy Company regularly engages in seminars and other events to explain their approach to developing the Park.
	Regeneration to enable growth: a toolkit supporting community-led regeneration, published in January 2012:
	www.communities.gov.uk/publications/regeneration/communityledregenerationtoolkit
	also outlines the wide toolkit of powers, flexibilities, options and incentives that local councils, residents, local businesses and civil society organisations might find helpful as they drive the regeneration of their area, strengthen their local economy, and improve opportunities.

Remploy

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  whether his Department has procured any goods from Remploy factories in the last three years; and what the value was of any procurements;
	(2)  what recent discussions his Department has had with Remploy on the procurement of goods.

Bob Neill: My Department has purchased no goods from Remploy factories in the last three years.
	However, we have contracted with Remploy-e-cycle for the disposal of our former Government Office IT equipment and have spent £7,800 so far in this current financial year (2011-12). The contract was competed under the Government Procurement Service Framework Agreement and it is on-going.
	Our Local Government and Central Procurement group report they have not had recent discussions with Remploy concerning procurement of goods and services other than above. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-external-organisations

Risk Assessment

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2012, Official Report, column 653W, on risk registers, if he will list only the risk registers compiled by officials in his Department.

Bob Neill: The Department's risk management policy requires that each division and directorate must maintain its own risk register. This is managed locally and no central list of risk registers is held.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department gave to (a) the Stephen Lawrence Trust, (b) Magic Breakfast, (c) Barnados and (d) the Children's Society in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: holding answer 19 March 2012
	No monies were paid in 2010-11 and 2011-12 to the Stephen Lawrence Trust, Magic Breakfast or Barnardo’s. The Children's Society received £19,211 in 2010-11, in relation to a project on immigration.

Transport: Planning Permission

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how the National Planning Policy Framework will encourage alternative modes of transport, including cycling and walking;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure new housing developments take into consideration cycling and walking when designing transport access.

Greg Clark: holding answer 13 March 2012
	The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that planning strategies should protect and exploit opportunities for the use of sustainable transport modes. As part of this, developments should be located and designed where practical to give priority to pedestrian and cycle movements, have access to high quality public transport facilities, and create safe and secure layouts which minimise conflicts between traffic and cyclists or pedestrians.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Traveller encampment at Dale Farm, Essex has been valued or banded for (a) council tax or (b) business rates by the Valuation Office Agency.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Treasury.
	The remaining domestic dwellings at Dale Farm near Billericay, Essex are banded for council tax. No non-domestic property is currently identified.

Trees: Planning Permission

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average time taken is by the Planning Inspectorate to deal with complaints relating to appeals against decisions on tree preservation orders in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: holding answer 22 March 2012
	During the current financial year up to the third quarter (April-December 2011), the Planning Inspectorate responded to complaints relating to tree preservation order appeals in an average of 33 working days from the date of receipt of the complaint.

JUSTICE

Crime: Motor Vehicles

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the highest number was of previous convictions for vehicle interference for an individual convicted of an offence of vehicle interference without being sent to prison in each of the last three years; and how many offences the offender had committed in total at the point of sentence for this offence.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the highest number of previous convictions for vehicle interference for individuals convicted of this offence in the years 2008 to 2010 who received a sentence other than immediate custody. It also shows the total number of previous offences for any offence at the point of sentence and the number of previous immediate custodial sentences for any offence. The figures provided cover vehicle interference under section 9 of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 and the offence has a maximum penalty of three months' custody.
	These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 The highest number of previous convictions for vehicle interference, for an individual convicted of this offence without being sent to prison, in England and Wales in the years 2008 to 2010 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 Number of previous convictions for vehicle interference 14 19 13 
			 Number of previous cautions and convictions for any offence at time of conviction 176 70 154 
			 Number of previous immediate custodial sentences for any offence at time of conviction 50 38 58 
			 Source: Police National Computer, MOJ JSAS

Criminal Proceedings

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what representations his Department has made at an EU level on the sharing of best practice between member states on pre- and post-trial detention.

Kenneth Clarke: No specific representations on best practice have been made at EU level though there are, in practice, direct contacts and sharing of best practice at working level between officials in my Department and those in other individual member states. There are also ad hoc arrangements for best practice sharing at an EU level; for example, there was in March a meeting of experts from EU member states to discuss issues arising from the EU prisoner transfer framework decision. More generally, EU level work in this sphere is under way to build on the European Commission’s 2011 Green Paper on the topic, which itself flowed from an earlier EU resolution on criminal procedural rights which tasked the Commission to consider this area. The UK response to the Green Paper stressed that improving the sharing of best practice at an EU level would be a significant and pragmatic way forward and we hope and expect this approach will feature in any forthcoming proposal. The UK’s interest here will be to ensure EU activity is directed at improving standards among all member states so as to promote trust and confidence across the EU and thereby enable the most effective delivery of justice throughout the Union.

Email

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on the period for which emails sent and received by (a) Ministers, (b) officials, and (c) special advisers in his Department are retained; and whether such emails are recoverable from the IT systems in his Department after that period.

Jonathan Djanogly: The retention period relating to emails sent or received by anyone in the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), including Ministers, officials, and special advisers would be dependent upon the nature of any individual email.
	Emails held in individuals' accounts do not necessarily form part of the Department's record keeping in their own right. However, emails which are significant enough to form part of the information to be held within an electronic or paper file, for example as part of a policy-making process, are subject to the Department's Record Retention and Disposition Schedules, and would be retained for the length of time the file is retained.
	The Public Records Act 1958 [PRA] requires Government Departments to destroy any of their records which are not selected for permanent preservation. The Act does not specify when such destruction must take place but MOJ has Record Retention and Disposition Schedules (RRDS) setting out how long to retain each type of record. The length of time for which any record is held by MOJ, is determined by two criteria: the business need of the area holding the record; and any legislative requirements.
	Emails held in MOJ headquarters which are not transferred to corporate files are automatically deleted after a period of three years. If deleted before that by the user, emails are still stored elsewhere for a period of 30 days before being deleted from the system entirely. After that any retrieval would be dependent on the type of backup which is performed.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost to the public purse has been of additional funding for tribunal services in order to deal with the backlog of appeals against employment and support allowance decisions.

Jonathan Djanogly: Appeals against Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance are heard by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).
	DWP funds the cost of increased volumes of appeals following welfare reform changes, above an agreed baseline. HMCTS received £1.3 million of additional funding in 2008-09, £9 million in 2009-10, £20.9 million in 2010-11 and £26.3 million for 2011-12 to deal with the increased volume of ESA appeals.

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost to the public purse was of employment support allowance tribunal appeals in each of the years from 2008 to 2011.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA).
	The estimated total cost to HMCTS of ESA appeals during the period April 2008 to March 2011 is summarised in the following table. For each period the estimated costs were calculated by multiplying the average cost of an individual First-tier Tribunal Social Security and Child Support case in that year by the number of ESA appeals disposed of during the year.
	
		
			 Total cost of employment and support allowance appeals 
			  Number of ESA appeals cleared Total cost (£ million) 
			 2008-09(1) 125 0.035 
			 2009-10 70,535 19.8 
			 2010-11 176,567 42.2 
			 (1) Employment and support allowance was introduced in October 2008.

Fines: EU Law

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many financial penalties have been transmitted by the UK to another EU member state under the Council Framework Decision on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties in each year since it came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Kenneth Clarke: The provisions of EU Council Framework Decision 2005/214/JHA of 24 February 2005 were implemented into England, Wales and Northern Ireland law in 2009, through the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. There was a minor amendment made through the Criminal Procedure Rules 2011. In Scotland the order was made under powers conferred by sections 56 of the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007, then implemented by the Mutual Recognition of Criminal Financial Penalties in the European Union (Scotland) Order (SSI 2009/ 342).
	The first cases to be sent to and received from member states were in 2010.
	
		
			  Number of cases transmitted to other EU member states 
			 2010 1 
			 2011 21 
			 2012 19

Insolvency: Civil Proceedings

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  when his Department expects to outline its plans for the new model for insolvency proceedings as committed to during the passage of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill;
	(2)  what discussions his Department has had with the insolvency profession regarding maintaining and improving recoveries for the taxpayer and businesses following his commitment during the passage of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill to a new model for insolvency proceedings;
	(3)  if he will provide details on the new model for insolvency proceedings as committed to by his Department during the passage of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.

Jonathan Djanogly: We have received a number of representations, including from insolvency practitioners and their representative bodies, about the implications for insolvency proceedings of the reforms to civil litigation funding and costs. These reforms were subject to full public consultation and are now contained in part 2 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.
	We have had a number of discussions with stakeholders as part of that process. We have reached agreement across Government in respect of insolvency proceedings that in future these cases will need to proceed without recoverable success fees and insurance premiums.
	We are working on a programme for implementing this part of the Bill and we will set out the details relating to insolvency proceedings in due course.

Legal Aid Scheme

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for legal aid were (a) received and (b) granted by the Legal Services Commission in (i) England, (ii) the North West, (iii) Cumbria and (iv) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information requested is not readily available as it involves matching data in different formats from several current and previous schemes. The information therefore could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Legal Aid Scheme: Travellers

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the policy of the Legal Services Commission has been on whether its funding could be used to support Travellers in relation to planning cases for (a) retrospective planning permission and (b) contesting planning enforcement notices in the last four years; and what the criteria were for qualifying for that funding.

Jonathan Djanogly: Under the current civil legal aid scheme, legal advice and assistance on most areas of law, including planning matters, is available to all clients, subject to the statutory tests of the client’s means and the merits of the case.
	Legal representation is not usually available for planning inquiries as these inquiries are informal and inquisitorial processes for which legal representation is not necessary, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Under the current scheme, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), may authorise the Legal Services Commission (LSC) to grant funding in individual excluded cases, where the LSC first requests it. For exceptional funding to be granted at a planning inquiry under the existing scheme, the statutory tests of means and merits must be met. In addition, the Lord Chancellor expects one of the following criteria to be met:
	there is a significant wider public interest (as defined in the LSC Funding Code) in the resolution of the case and funded representation will contribute to it; or
	the case is of overwhelming importance to the client (as defined in the LSC Funding Code); or
	there is convincing evidence that there are other exceptional circumstances such that without public funding for representation it would be practically impossible for the client to bring or defend the proceedings or the lack of public funding would lead to obvious unfairness in the proceedings.

Police and Crime Commissioners

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to ensure that services for victims and witnesses are maintained and improved in the event that the commissioning of such services is devolved to Police and Crime Commissioners.

Crispin Blunt: In our consultation document, ‘Getting it right for Victims and Witnesses’, we proposed that the majority of support services for victims be commissioned by elected police and crime commissioners (PCCs). We believe services should be commissioned in a way that more closely reflects the needs and priorities of the local community and we think PCCs will be best placed to do this. Under our proposals service providers would in future be commissioned based on evidence of their ability to achieve two outcomes, namely to help victims first to cope with the immediate impact of the crime and subsequently to recover from the harm they have experienced. In the consultation document we also announced proposals which aim to raise up to an additional £50 million per annum for victims’ services from the Victim Surcharge and other financial impositions.

Procurement

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many contracts his Department had with (a) Capita and (b) Serco in the last 12 months.

Kenneth Clarke: In the period April 2011 to March 2012, the Ministry of Justice has awarded three contracts to Capita and seven contracts to Serco. Details of the contracts are as follows:
	Capita
	1. Provision of interims and specialist contractors
	2. Provision of an authorised pensions administration service
	3. Supply, installation and maintenance of a new digital radio system
	Serco
	1. Provision of external support following the launch of NOMS job evaluation scheme
	2. Prisoner escort and custody services
	3. Electronic monitoring
	4. Provision of services to improve the employment prospects of offenders through NOMS ESF co-financing programme 2009-2011 for the east of England region
	5. Provision of services to improve the employment prospects of offenders through NOMS ESF co-financing programme 2009-11 for the south-east region
	6. Provision of services to improve the employment prospects of offenders through NOMS ESF co-financing programme 2011-14 for the east of England region
	7. Provision of services to improve the employment prospects of offenders through NOMS ESF co-financing programme 2011-14 for the south-east region.

Sentencing: EU Action

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the European institutions on sentencing.

Crispin Blunt: Government Ministers have not recently had substantial discussions specifically on sentencing with European Union institutions. However, sentencing points are raised in numerous negotiations on EU instruments.

Sexual Offences

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many sex offenders are serving a prison sentence in England and Wales;
	(2)  what the length of sentence was of each sex offender received into prison in England and Wales in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many sex offenders of each gender were received into prison in England and Wales under sentence in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: As at 31 December 2011 there were 10,125 offenders in prison under sentence for sexual offences.
	Tables 1 and 2 as follows provide information on the immediate custodial sentenced receptions in prison establishments in England and Wales by sentence length and sex for sexual offences in each year from 2005 to 2009 (latest annual data available).
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			 Table 1: Immediate custodial sentenced receptions into prison establishments, for sexual offences, by sentence length, 2005-09, England and Wales 
			  All Less than or equal to 6 months Greater than 6 months to less than 12 months 12 months to less than 4 years 4 years or more (excluding )  indeterminate sentences Indeterminate sentences 
			 2005 2,452 292 125 995 926 114 
			 2006 2,524 279 109 945 848 343 
			 2007 2,578 241 113 925 889 410 
			 2008 2,735 284 120 979 1,026 326 
			 2009 2,512 263 96 866 1,052 235 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Receptions into prison establishments, under immediate custodial sentence, by sex, for sexual offences, 2005-09, England and Wales 
			  All Male Female 
			 2005 2,452 2,433 19 
			 2006 2,524 2,496 28 
			 2007 2,578 2,560 18 
			 2008 2,735 2,706 29 
			 2009 2,512 2,476 36

Sexual Offences: Registration

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the press notice issued by his Department on 5 March on tightening the law on sex offenders, how his Department intends to inform police forces and magistrates about the requirement for registered sex offenders to notify the police of all foreign travel.

James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	The Home Office has worked closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers and Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service throughout the consultation process and will continue to do so during the legislative and implementation stages to ensure that the appropriate people are informed of any changes.
	We expect that the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Notification Requirements) (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 to come into force from summer 2012, subject to other parliamentary business.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average waiting time was between the submission of an appeal against a decision on the award of (a) employment and support allowance and (b) disability living allowance and the date of the appeal hearing in each administrative office in the Greater London area in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10, (iii) 2010-11 and (iv) April to December 2011.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) and disability living allowance (DLA).
	The following table shows the average time taken from submission of an appeal to the DWP until the date of the first appeal hearing at HMCTS for ESA and DLA appeals at the Sutton Processing Centre, which serves the Greater London area.
	
		
			 Average waiting times — Employment and  support allowance and disability living allowance for processing centre  in Greater London 
			  2008-0 9 (1) 2009-10 2010-11 April to  Dec ember  2011 
			  ESA DLA ESA DLA ESA DLA ESA DLA 
			 Average time in weeks from submission to DWP to receipt at HMCTS n/a 7.8 7.4 8.8 8.9 9.6 8.1 7.8 
			 Average time in weeks from receipt at HMCTS to first hearing n/a 9.2 14.1 11.8 16.6 17.2 19.5 22.3 
			 (1) ( )Employment and Support Allowance was introduced in October 2008 and only 6 ESA appeals were cleared in 2008-09. This low volume means that statistically significant data in not available for this period. Notes: The data provided are taken from management information The data regarding the time from when an appeal is submitted to the DWP until it is received by HMCTS is taken from HMCTS' database and relies on the date of submission recorded by DWP. The Tribunal does not measure the time from receipt at DWP to receipt at HMCTS and the averages have been calculated by subtracting the time from receipt at HMCTS to first hearing from the total average time. 
		
	
	HMCTS is working hard to increase the capacity of the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal (SSCS) and reduce waiting times. It has increased hearing rooms; the number of cases listed in each session; and the number of sessions held; streamlined its administrative processes; started running double shifts in its largest processing centre so that more appeals can be processed each day; started running Saturday sittings in some of the busiest venues (where there is demand and where it is feasible); set up a customer contact centre to deal with telephone enquiries for the processing sites, freeing up other staff to focus on processing appeals and arranging hearings; and recruited more judges and panel members to hear more appeals.
	All of this is having a positive effect. The number of disposals has increased significantly from 279,000 in 2009-10 to 380,000 in 2010-11. Disposals outstripped receipts in each of the 12 months between January 2011 and December 2011 and the number of cases waiting to be heard reduced by over 44,000 between April and December. The average waiting time has stabilised nationally, and is beginning to fall in many venues.

Victim Support Schemes

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to ensure that a new victims code is effectively monitored and enforced.

Crispin Blunt: In our consultation document 'Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses', published on 30 January, we set out far reaching proposals for improving services and support for victims and witnesses. A key proposal is that there should be a new, clearer, Victims' Code and we have sought views on a set of principles on which we think the new code should be based.
	The consultation closes on 22 April and we plan to publish the Government's response to the consultation in the summer.
	As we begin to draft the new code we will consider how best to monitor and enforce it. There will be a further consultation on the code and on these arrangements before we lay it before Parliament.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what contracts his Department has with Vodafone;
	(2)  how many contracts Vodafone has been awarded by his Department in the last 12 months.

Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has not awarded any contracts to Vodafone in the last 12 months. The MOJ obtains mobile phones from Vodafone under the Government Procurement Service Mobile Solutions (2) Framework Agreement.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times the Permanent Secretary in his Department has met Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months.

Kenneth Clarke: My Department publishes details of meetings between the Permanent Secretary and external organisations on its website. Since March 2011 the Permanent Secretary has not met with Vodafone representatives.

Young Offenders: Greater London

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many juvenile offenders from (a) the London borough of Barking and Dagenham and (b) the London borough of Havering have been held in (i) a secure children's home, (ii) a secure training centre and (iii) a young offender institution in each month since May 2005.

Crispin Blunt: The table shows the number of juvenile offenders (aged 10 to 17) either sentenced or remanded in custody attached to the (a) Barking and Dagenham Youth Offending Team (YOT) and (b) Havering YOT who have been held in a (i) secure children's home, (ii) secure training centre and (iii) under 18 young offender institution in each month since May 2005 to January 2012.
	These data have been provided by the Youth Justice Board (YJB). The YJB holds data at the YOT area level, not at the local authority level. YOT area data may cover more than one local authority area.
	This is based upon monthly snapshot data. Therefore one young person who is serving more than one month in custody, may be shown in more than one month in the table.
	The data from April 2011 onwards are provisional and will be finalised when the 2011-12 Youth Justice Statistics are published in 2013.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and can be subject to change over time.
	
		
			 Table 1: Young people in custody attached to (a) Barking and Dagenham Youth Offending Team (YOT) and (b) Havering YOT by establishment type in each month since May 2005 
			  (a) Barking and Dagenham YOT (b) Havering YOT 
			  Secure Children's Homes Secure Training Centres Young Offender Institutions Secure Children's Homes Secure Training Centres Young Offender Institutions 
			 May 2005 1 3 21 0 1 3 
			 June 2005 1 3 15 0 1 5 
			 July 2005 0 3 14 0 1 6 
			 August 2005 0 4 13 0 2 5 
			 September 2005 0 4 13 0 3 6 
			 October 2005 0 3 16 0 3 8 
			 November 2005 1 4 17 0 3 6 
			 December 2005 0 4 16 0 0 6 
			 January 2006 0 5 15 0 0 5 
			 February 2006 1 4 17 0 0 5 
			 March 2005 1 5 17 0 0 6 
			 April 2006 1 6 15 0 0 3 
			 May 2006 0 4 15 0 0 8 
			 June 2006 0 5 22 0 0 11 
			 July 2006 0 2 20 0 0 10 
			 August 2006 1 2 19 0 0 12 
			 September 2006 0 2 23 0 1 13 
			 October 2006 2 3 24 0 1 11 
			 November 2006 3 4 16 0 1 14 
			 December 2006 1 3 17 0 1 11 
			 January 2007 2 2 20 0 1 8 
			 February 2007 2 1 19 0 1 8 
			 March 2007 3 2 20 0 2 9 
			 April 2007 3 3 18 0 1 10 
			 May 2007 2 2 19 0 2 11 
			 June 2007 2 4 18 0 1 8 
			 July 2007 1 3 11 0 1 7 
			 August 2007 1 3 9 1 0 9 
			 September 2007 1 6 10 1 0 8 
			 October 2007 1 2 11 2 0 9 
			 November 2007 1 4 11 2 0 8 
			 December 2007 1 4 12 1 0 6 
			 January 2008 1 2 14 1 0 4 
			 February 2008 1 2 16 1 0 2 
		
	
	
		
			 March 2008 1 2 16 1 0 2 
			 April 2008 1 1 14 1 0 6 
			 May 2008 1 1 11 0 1 5 
			 June 2008 1 1 13 0 1 7 
			 July 2008 1 1 11 0 0 6 
			 August 2008 1 2 14 1 0 5 
			 September 2008 0 2 18 1 0 7 
			 October 2008 0 2 19 1 0 5 
			 November 2008 0 2 15 1 0 6 
			 December 2008 0 2 11 1 0 12 
			 January 2009 0 3 12 1 0 9 
			 February 2009 0 4 12 1 1 6 
			 March 2009 0 2 13 0 1 4 
			 April 2009 0 3 11 1 1 5 
			 May 2009 0 3 15 1 3 6 
			 June 2009 0 2 12 1 3 5 
			 July 2009 0 2 16 0 3 3 
			 August 2009 0 2 16 0 2 5 
			 September 2009 0 2 17 0 2 5 
			 October 2009 0 3 19 0 3 5 
			 November 2009 0 3 16 0 1 2 
			 December 2009 0 3 13 0 0 2 
			 January 2010 0 5 16 0 0 2 
			 February 2010 0 4 13 0 0 4 
			 March 2010 1 4 23 0 3 4 
			 April 2010 1 4 20 0 2 7 
			 May 2010 1 6 20 0 2 2 
			 June 2010 1 5 18 0 0 2 
			 July 2010 1 4 19 0 0 2 
			 August 2010 0 2 19 0 0 2 
			 September 2010 0 3 16 0 1 2 
			 October 2010 0 2 15 0 1 1 
			 November 2010 0 1 13 0 1 1 
			 December 2010 0 0 16 0 1 2 
			 January 2011 0 2 16 0 1 2 
			 February 2011 0 2 19 0 1 4 
			 March 2011 0 4 18 0 1 4 
		
	
	
		
			 April 2011 0 2 20 0 1 3 
			 May 2011 0 3 24 0 0 4 
			 June 2011 0 2 20 0 0 2 
			 July 2011 0 2 25 0 0 4 
			 August 2011 0 2 23 0 1 4 
			 September 2011 0 3 19 0 1 2 
			 October 2011 0 5 17 0 0 3 
			 November 2011 0 3 18 0 0 4 
			 December 2011 1 2 14 0 0 4 
			 January 2012 0 3 15 0 2 6 
			 Notes: 1. YJB data referring to Secure Training Centres (STCs), Secure Children's Homes (SCHs), and Under 18 Young Offender Institutions (YOIs). This does not include 18 to 21-year-olds held in YOI separate units for which the YJB do not hold data. This is based upon monthly snapshot data therefore one young person who is serving more than one month in custody, may be shown in more than one month in the table. The figures from April 2011 onwards are provisional. 2. Young people are defined as those aged 10 to 17 years of age, however some 18-year-olds remain in the secure estate for children and young people if they only have a short period of their sentence left to serve, to avoid disrupting their regimes (and are included in these figures). 3. The data comes from the Youth Justice Board's Secure Accommodation Clearing House System (SACHS). These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.

Young Offenders: Greater London

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young adult offenders aged between 18 and 20 years from (a) the London borough of Barking and Dagenham and (b) the London borough of Havering have been held in (i) young offender institutions, (ii) local prisons, (iii) women's prisons and (iv) other parts of the secure estate, in each month since May 2009.

Crispin Blunt: All young offenders sentenced to Detention in a Young Offender Institution (DYOI), which is the most common custodial sentence for this age group, are held in appropriately designated YOI accommodation within the prison estate. The majority of this accommodation is in dedicated YOIs, although some establishments in the estate have a dual designation (designated both as a prison and a YOI) and hold both adult prisoners and young offenders.
	The following tables show the number of offenders aged 18 to 20 years old with a recorded residential address or proxy in (a) the London borough of Barking and Dagenham and (b) the London borough of Havering who were held in predominant function male Young Offender Institutions, predominant function male local prisons, all female prisons and the rest of the male estate on a set day in each month where data are available since May 2009.
	
		
			 Number and location of male and female young adult offenders (aged 18 to 20) originating from London borough of Barking and Dagenham 
			  2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Location May Sept Nov Jan Mar May July Sept Nov Jan 
			 (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 33 11 9 8 11 15 12 16 17 19 
			 (b) Male local prisons 0 7 15 10 8 14 11 11 11 7 
			 (c) Female prisons 0 1 1 1 2 2  1 1 1 
			 (d) Rest of the male estate 0 9 13 12 8 6 8 5 3 2 
		
	
	
		
			 Number and location of male and female young adult offenders (aged 18 to 20) originating from London borough of Havering 
			  2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Location May Sept Nov Jan Mar May July Sept Nov Jan 
			 (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 22 4 5 2 4 8 5 12 4 7 
			 (b) Male local prisons 1 6 6 8 8 9 10 2 6 10 
			 (c) Female prisons 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 
			 (d) Rest of the male estate 1 4 4 4 0 2 1 1 1 1 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	Information on offenders' residences is provided by offenders on reception into prison and recorded on a central IT system. Addresses can include a home address, an address to which offenders intend to return on discharge or next of kin address and these figures are provided in the table above.
	If no address is given, an offender's committal court address is used as a proxy for the area in which they are resident. These figures are also included in the table above. No address has been recorded and no court information is available for around 3% of all offenders, these figures are excluded from the table above.

Young Offenders: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many juvenile offenders from (a) the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and (b) Westminster City Council have been held in a (i) secure children's home, (ii) secure training centre and (iii) young offender institution in each month since May 2005.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number of juvenile offenders (aged 10 to 17) either sentenced or remanded in custody attached to the (a)Kensington and Chelsea Youth Offending Team (YOT) and (b) Westminster YOT who have been held in a (i) secure children's home, (ii) secure training centre and (iii) under 18 young offender institution in each month since May 2005 to January 2012.
	This data has been provided by the Youth Justice Board (YJB). The YJB holds data at the YOT area level, not at the local authority level. YOT area data may cover more than one local authority area.
	This is based upon monthly snapshot data. Therefore one young person who is serving more than one month in custody, may be shown in more than one month in the following table.
	The data from April 2011 onwards are provisional and will be finalised when the 2011-12 Youth Justice Statistics are published in 2013.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and can be subject to change over time.
	
		
			 Table 1: Young people in custody attached to (a) Kensington and Chelsea Youth Offending Team (YOT) and (b) Westminster YOT by establishment type in each month since May 2005 
			  (a) Kensington and Chelsea YOT (b) Westminster YOT 
			 May 2005-April 2008 Secure Children’s Homes Secure Training Centres Young Offender Institutions Secure Children’s Homes Secure Training Centres Young Offender Institutions 
			 May 2005 0 3 7 0 0 13 
			 Jun 2005 0 2 7 0 0 10 
			 July 2005 0 2 7 1 0 10 
			 August 2005 0 2 9 0 0 13 
			 September 2005 1 2 10 0 0 11 
			 October 2005 0 2 10 0 0 10 
			 November 2005 0 1 7 0 0 11 
			 December 2005 0 1 5 0 0 11 
			 January 2006 0 1 5 0 0 8 
			 February 2006 0 1 9 0 0 9 
			 March 2006 1 2 6 0 1 10 
			 April 2006 1 1 5 0 0 9 
			 May 2006 0 0 10 0 0 10 
			 June 2006 1 1 7 0 0 8 
		
	
	
		
			 July 2006 0 1 6 0 0 8 
			 August 2006 0 2 8 0 1 8 
			 September 2006 0 2 9 0 0 8 
			 October 2006 0 2 6 0 0 11 
			 November 2006 0 2 4 0 0 8 
			 December 2006 1 2 5 0 0 4 
			 January 2007 1 3 4 0 0 5 
			 February 2007 0 3 7 0 0 5 
			 March 2007 1 2 7 0 0 8 
			 April 2007 1 2 6 0 0 5 
			 May 2007 2 1 4 0 1 8 
			 June 2007 0 1 3 0 1 9 
			 July 2007 1 0 5 0 1 8 
			 August 2007 0 0 5 0 0 5 
			 September 2007 0 0 5 0 0 5 
			 October 2007 0 0 4 0 0 5 
			 November 2007 0 2 7 0 0 7 
			 December 2007 0 2 11 0 0 7 
			 January 2008 0 1 9 0 0 7 
			 February 2008 0 1 8 0 0 9 
			 March 2008 0 0 5 0 0 11 
			 April 2008 0 0 6 1 1 8 
			 May 2008 0 0 7 1 1 8 
			 June 2008 1 1 7 0 3 10 
			 July 2008 1 0 7 1 3 7 
			 August 2008 1 0 6 1 2 7 
			 September 2008 1 0 4 0 1 12 
			 October 2008 1 0 3 0 2 11 
			 November 2008 0 0 6 0 0 11 
			 December 2008 0 1 4 0 0 7 
			 January 2009 0 1 7 0 0 7 
			 February 2009 0 2 7 0 2 4 
			 March 2009 0 2 7 0 3 7 
			 April 2009 0 1 11 0 3 7 
		
	
	
		
			 May 2009 0 0 12 0 4 6 
			 June 2009 0 1 12 0 3 5 
			 July 2009 0 1 13 0 2 6 
			 August 2009 0 0 13 1 0 6 
			 September 2009 0 0 13 0 0 5 
			 October 2009 0 0 12 0 2 7 
			 November 2009 0 1 13 0 3 7 
			 December 2009 0 0 15 0 2 6 
			 January 2010 0 0 10 0 1 8 
			 February 2010 0 0 7 1 1 7 
			 March 2010 0 0 10 1 0 5 
			 April 2010 0 0 13 1 0 7 
			 May 2010 0 0 12 1 1 7 
			 June 2010 0 0 11 1 1 6 
			 July 2010 0 0 10 1 1 7 
			 August 2010 0 0 10 1 1 7 
			 September 2010 0 0 9 1 2 5 
			 October 2010 0 0 9 2 2 7 
			 November 2010 0 0 12 2 2 8 
			 December 2010 0 0 11 1 2 6 
			 January 2011 0 0 10 1 2 7 
			 February 2011 0 0 8 1 2 7 
			 March 2011 0 1 10 1 2 10 
			 April 2011 0 0 9 1 3 8 
			 May 2011 0 1 6 1 3 7 
			 June 2011 0 0 8 1 4 8 
			 July 2011 0 0 8 0 5 8 
		
	
	
		
			 August 2011 1 0 10 0 5 11 
			 September 2011 1 0 11 1 4 11 
			 October 2011 2 0 12 0 5 13 
			 November 2011 2 0 10 0 5 12 
			 December 2011 1 1 8 0 4 8 
			 January 2012 1 2 5 0 2 11 
			 Notes: 1. YJB data referring to secure training centres (STCs), secure children's homes (SCHs), and under 18 young offender institutions (YOIs). This does not include 18 to 21-year-olds held in YOI separate units for which the YJB do not hold data. This is based upon monthly snapshot data therefore one young person who is serving more than one month in custody, may be shown in more than one month in the table. The figures from April 2011 onwards are provisional. 2. Young people are defined as those aged 10 to 17 years of age, however some 18-year-olds remain in the secure estate for children and young people if they only have a short period of their sentence left to serve, to avoid disrupting their regimes (and are included in these figures). 3. The data comes from the Youth Justice Board's Secure Accommodation Clearing House System (SACHS). These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.

Young Offenders: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young adult offenders aged 18 to 20 years old from (a) the Royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea and (b) Westminster city council have been held in (i) young offender institutions, (ii) local prisons, (iii) women’s prisons and (iv) other parts of the secure estate, in each month since May 2009.

Crispin Blunt: All young offenders sentenced to detention in a young offender institution (DYOI), which is the most common custodial sentence for this age group, are held in appropriately designated YOI accommodation within the prison estate. The majority of this accommodation is in dedicated YOIs, although some establishments in the estate have a dual designation (designated both as a prison and a YOI) and hold both adult prisoners and young offenders.
	The following tables show the number of offenders aged 18-20 years with a recorded residential address or proxy in (a) the Royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea and (b) Westminster city council who were held in predominant function male young offender institutions, predominant function male local prisons, all female prisons and the rest of the male estate on a set day in each month where data is available since May 2009.
	
		
			 Number and location of male and female young adult offenders (aged 18-20) originating from the Royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea 
			  2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Location May Sep t Nov Jan Mar May Jul y Sep t Nov Jan 
			 (a) Male young offender institutions 45 15 12 14 12 10 3 11 12 11 
			 (b) Male local prisons 1 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 2 0 
			 (c) Female prisons 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 (d) Rest of the male estate 0 2 3 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 
		
	
	
		
			 Number and location of male and female young adult offenders (aged 18-20) originating from Westminster city council area 
			  2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Location May Sept Nov Jan Mar May July Sept Nov Jan 
			 (a) Male young offender institutions 21 27 43 39 35 36 27 36 35 46 
			 (b) Male local prisons 2 1 3 3 4 2 4 5 3 1 
			 (c) Female prisons 0 1 3 4 4 5 6 9 4 2 
			 (d) Rest of the male estate 0 10 7 7 6 6 6 4 5 7 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	Information on offenders’ residences is provided by offenders on reception into prison and recorded on a central IT system. Addresses can include a home address, an address to which offenders intend to return on discharge or next of kin address and these figures are provided in the table above.
	If no address is given, an offender’s committal court address is used as a proxy for the area in which they are resident. These figures are also included in the table above. No address has been recorded and no court information is available for around 3% of all offenders; these figures are excluded from the table above.

Young Offenders: Lancashire

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young adult offenders aged 18 to 20 years in each local authority area in Lancashire have been held in (a) young offender institutions, (b) local prisons, (c) women's prisons and (d) other parts of the secure estate in each month since May 2009.

Crispin Blunt: All young offenders sentenced to detention in a young offender institution (DYOI), which is the most common custodial sentence for this age group, are held in appropriately designated YOI accommodation within the prison estate. The majority of this accommodation is in dedicated YOIs, although some establishments in the estate have a dual designation (designated both as a prison and a YOI) and hold both adult prisoners and young offenders.
	The following table shows the number of offenders aged 18 to 20-years-old with a recorded residential address or proxy in each local authority area in Lancashire who were held in predominant function male young offender institutions, predominant function male local prisons, all female prisons and the rest of the male estate on a set day in each month where data are available since May 2009.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	Information on offenders’ residences is provided by offenders on reception into prison and recorded on a central IT system. Addresses can include a home address, an address to which offenders intend to return on discharge or next of kin address and these figures are provided in the table.
	If no address is given, an offender’s committal court address is used as a proxy for the area in which they are resident. These figures are also included in the table. No address has been recorded and no court information is available for around 3% of all offenders, these figures are excluded from the table.
	
		
			 Number and location of male and female young adult offenders (aged 18 to 20) originating from each local authority area in Lancashire 
			   2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Originating local authority area in Lancashire Predominant function May Sept Nov Jan Mar May July Sept Nov Jan 
			 Blackpool (a) Male Young Offender Institutions — 1 2 1 1 — — — — — 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — — — — — — — — — — 
			  (c) Female prisons — — — — — — — — — — 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — — — — — — — 
			             
			 Burnley (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 26 33 33 33 36 38 30 24 31 30 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) Male local Prisons — — — — — 1 3 10 11 8 
			  (c) Female prisons 1 1 2 2 3 3 1 3 3 2 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — 1 — 1 1 2 4 
			             
			 Chorley (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 12 4 4 3 4 6 4 5 5 5 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — — — — — — 1 — 1 2 
			  (c) Female prisons — — — — — — — — — — 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — — — — — — — 
			             
			 Fylde (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 4 — 2 2 2 4 2 3 5 5 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — — — — — — — — 1 — 
			  (c) Female prisons — — — — — — — — — — 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — 1 1 1 1 1 2 
			             
			 Hyndburn (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 5 14 8 10 16 16 7 9 9 6 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — — — — — — 5 4 3 6 
			  (c) Female prisons 1 — — — — — — — — — 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — — — 1 — 1 1 
			             
			 Lancaster (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 20 4 4 2 6 5 5 5 2 4 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — — — — — — 2 3 1 2 
			  (c) Female prisons 2 — — — — — — — — — 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — — — — — 1 2 
			             
			 Morecambe and Lunesdale (a) Male Young Offender Institutions — 12 9 11 11 12 10 5 6 4 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — — — — — — — — 1 1 
			  (c) Female prisons — — — — — — — — — — 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — 1 1 — — — — 
			             
			 Pendle (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 6 7 8 8 8 12 7 3 4 5 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — 1 — — — — — 2 2 1 
			  (c) Female prisons — — — — — — — — — — 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — 1 1 — — — — — — — 
			             
			 Preston (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 76 73 69 61 65 70 60 47 43 43 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — 1 1 — 1 1 6 36 30 25 
			  (c) Female prisons — 2 6 6 4 5 3 2 4 3 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — 2 2 5 5 6 5 
			             
			 Ribble Valley (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 3 8 9 8 8 10 7 4 4 5 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — — — — — — — — 2 1 
			  (c) Female prisons 1 1 1 1 — — — 1 1 — 
		
	
	
		
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — — — — — 1 — 
			             
			 Rossendale (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 3 6 6 6 2 4 4 1 1 3 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — — 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 3 
			  (c) Female prisons 1 — 1 — — — — — — — 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — 1 — — 3 3 2 1 2 2 
			             
			 South Ribble (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 6 3 4 3 3 4 — 1 5 5 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — — — — — — 1 — 3 — 
			  (c) Female prisons — — — — — — — — — — 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — 1 1 1 — — — 
			             
			 West Lancashire (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 5 6 6 7 6 7 5 2 2 2 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — 1 — — — 1 — 1 1 2 
			  (c) Female prisons 1 — — — — — — — — — 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — — — 1 1 1 1 
			             
			 Wyre (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 4 4 5 4 3 2 2 — — — 
			  (b) Male local Prisons — — — — — — — — 1 2 
			  (c) Female prisons — — — — — — — — — — 
			  (d) Rest of the male estate — — — — — — — — — —

Young Offenders: Lancashire

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many juvenile offenders in each local authority area in Lancashire have been held in (a) a secure children's home, (b) a secure training centre and (c) a young offender institution in each month since May 2005.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number of juvenile offenders (aged 10 to 17) either sentenced or remanded in custody attached to (i) Blackburn with Darwen Youth Offending Team (YOT) (ii) Blackpool YOT and (iii) Lancashire YOT who have been held in a (a) secure children's home, (b) secure training centre and (c) young offender institution in each month since May 2005 to January 2012.
	These data have been provided by the Youth Justice Board (YJB). The YJB holds data at the YOT area level, not at the local authority level. YOT area data may cover more than one local authority area.
	This is based upon monthly snapshot data. Therefore one young person who is serving more than one month in custody may be shown in more than one month in the table.
	The data from April 2011 onwards are provisional and will be finalised when the 2011-12 Youth Justice Statistics are published in 2013.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and can be subject to change over time.
	
		
			 Young people in custody attached to (i) Blackburn with Darwen Youth Offending Team (YOT) (ii) Blackpool YOT and (iii) Lancashire YOT by establishment type in each month since May 2005 
			  (i) Blackburn with Darwen YOT (ii) Blackpool YOT (iii) YOT 
			  Secure children’s homes Secure training centres Young offender institutions Secure children’s homes Secure training centres Young offender institutions Secure children’s homes Secure training centres Young offender institutions 
			 2005          
			 May 0 1 11 1 2 10 3 1 43 
			 June 0 1 5 1 1 8 5 2 44 
			 July 0 0 5 1 2 8 4 3 47 
			 August 0 0 7 2 2 6 5 2 49 
		
	
	
		
			 September 0 0 7 3 1 5 6 3 56 
			 October 0 0 6 4 1 7 6 3 47 
			 November 1 0 7 0 2 5 3 2 50 
			 December 1 0 7 0 2 6 1 2 49 
			           
			 2006          
			 January 1 0 6 0 1 3 4 2 50 
			 February 0 0 7 1 1 2 5 2 53 
			 March 0 0 7 1 1 3 5 2 43 
			 April 0 0 7 3 2 4 7 3 49 
			 May 0 1 8 1 2 8 7 8 56 
			 June 0 1 8 1 1 6 5 8 56 
			 July 1 0 9 1 1 7 5 7 51 
			 August 1 1 8 1 1 10 2 5 58 
			 September 1 1 8 2 1 9 4 2 53 
			 October 1 1 6 1 0 13 3 5 55 
			 November 0 2 5 1 0 20 2 5 51 
			 December 0 2 3 1 0 20 5 3 45 
			           
			 2007          
			 January 0 3 4 1 1 20 3 4 48 
			 February 0 3 4 1 1 22 6 4 47 
			 March 0 2 4 0 1 19 8 4 42 
			 April 0 1 5 1 1 17 8 6 41 
			 May 0 0 6 2 2 13 4 4 41 
			 June 0 0 1 2 1 18 3 5 44 
			 July 0 0 5 2 1 20 4 6 48 
			 August 0 0 4 2 1 17 6 4 51 
			 September 1 0 7 3 1 15 4 5 49 
			 October 1 1 7 3 1 15 6 3 45 
			 November 3 2 9 3 2 15 5 4 53 
			 December 3 1 8 4 1 13 5 5 53 
			           
			 2008          
			 January 2 1 8 2 1 13 5 3 50 
			 February 3 0 7 2 0 8 5 2 51 
			 March 1 1 10 2 1 9 5 1 54 
			 April 1 1 12 4 2 6 7 3 51 
			 May 1 2 14 4 1 12 6 2 55 
			 June 1 2 14 4 1 13 5 3 50 
			 July 1 2 12 3 0 14 8 0 52 
			 August 1 1 10 0 0 14 9 0 42 
			 September 1 1 9 0 0 15 6 0 43 
			 October 1 0 11 1 0 16 7 3 35 
			 November 1 1 6 1 0 18 5 3 49 
			 December 1 0 7 2 0 21 4 5 44 
			           
			 2009          
			 January 1 0 8 2 0 21 7 4 42 
			 February 1 0 8 1 0 17 7 3 46 
			 March 1 0 10 2 0 19 7 1 44 
			 April 1 1 9 3 0 19 9 4 46 
			 May 1 1 7 3 1 17 10 3 45 
			 June 1 1 7 3 0 13 13 2 39 
			 July 1 3 8 3 0 11 12 2 42 
			 August 1 2 14 2 0 15 11 2 40 
			 September 1 2 11 1 0 18 11 1 42 
		
	
	
		
			 October 1 2 10 2 1 14 13 3 41 
			 November 2 2 7 1 1 11 13 4 43 
			 December 1 4 6 2 1 11 10 1 36 
			           
			 2010          
			 January 1 4 6 1 0 13 10 2 33 
			 February 1 2 8 3 0 8 12 1 38 
			 March 1 2 8 3 0 12 11 2 35 
			 April 2 2 6 3 1 7 12 1 30 
			 May 2 4 7 2 1 7 11 1 28 
			 June 2 2 9 3 0 7 9 3 25 
			 July 2 1 9 3 0 9 11 2 23 
			 August 1 1 14 5 0 8 9 2 29 
			 September 1 0 15 5 1 8 6 2 25 
			 October 1 0 17 4 1 9 7 3 23 
			 November 1 0 11 5 1 11 9 3 29 
			 December 1 0 8 4 0 6 10 2 25 
			           
			 2011          
			 January 1 0 10 3 0 5 9 3 30 
			 February 1 1 9 1 0 8 10 4 36 
			 March 1 1 7 2 1 6 6 3 36 
			 April 1 1 5 3 0 8 2 3 38 
			 May 1 1 4 2 0 10 3 2 32 
			 June 1 1 5 2 0 7 4 2 27 
			 July 1 0 7 2 0 8 5 1 24 
			 August 0 0 7 3 0 13 5 2 22 
			 September 0 0 7 1 0 9 5 0 28 
			 October 1 1 6 2 1 7 5 1 31 
			 November 0 1 5 2 1 6 6 3 28 
			 December 0 2 6 3 1 6 9 1 25 
			           
			 2012          
			 January 0 1 5 2 0 7 10 2 23 
			 Notes: 1. YJB data referring to secure training centres (STCs), secure children’s homes (SCHs), and under 18 young offender institutions (YOIs). This does not include 18 to 21 year olds held in YOI separate units for which the YJB do not hold data. This is based upon monthly snapshot data therefore one young person who is serving more than one month in custody, may be shown in more than one month in the table. The figures from April 2011 onwards are provisional. 2. Young people are defined as those aged 10 to 17 years of age, however some 18-year-olds remain in the secure estate for children and young people if they only have a short period of their sentence left to serve, to avoid disrupting their regimes (and are included in these figures). 3. The data come from the Youth Justice Board's Secure Accommodation Clearing House System (SACHS). These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

Andrew Mitchell: Afghanistan faces considerable humanitarian challenges, arising from factors including conflict and insecurity, food insecurity, and lack of access to safe water. The UN estimates that there are almost 430,000 people internally displaced as a result of conflict and insecurity. Lack of rain and snow in early 2011 led to last year's drought affecting 14 provinces, while the worst winter in 20 years earlier this year led to a number of deaths in refugee camps and isolated, remote areas. Preliminary assessments for 2012 suggest that snow and rainfall has been above average. As a result the international community, including the UK, is now monitoring the possibility of flooding and stands ready to respond. However, the extra rain has the potential to create more favourable conditions for this year's harvest.
	UK aid is supporting emergency food aid for 161,000 pregnant and breast-feeding women and 14,000 severely malnourished children under five, and cash transfers for more than 9,000 households in drought-affected areas. We are also working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide support for families affected by conflict. Last year, UK aid helped to provide more than 3,800 artificial limbs and 10,000 crutches to the ICRC's Orthopaedic Centre. This year, our support to the ICRC will also help to provide food aid to around 27,000 families affected by conflict or natural disasters.

Argentina

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on votes at the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank on loans to Argentina.

Andrew Mitchell: Britain will look at each individual project at the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank with care assessing each project on its own merits and the context of each individual loan.
	I remind the right hon. Member that the Department for International Development does not maintain an aid programme to Argentina and no UK aid is spent providing loans to Argentina at the World Bank or the Inter-American Development Bank.

Bangladesh

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid his Department has provided for the reduction of poverty in Bangladesh since May 2010.

Alan Duncan: Since May 2010, the Department for International Development (DFID) has provided over £350 million in aid to Bangladesh. This has helped more children to get a better quality education, reduced maternal and newborn deaths, created more jobs and income, and increased the country's resilience to climate related natural disasters. DFID has also worked with the Government of Bangladesh to strengthen democratic systems and institutions and improve the Government of Bangladesh's public financial management systems.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he has taken with his international counterparts to help maintain respect for human rights in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Andrew Mitchell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office leads on human rights issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The British embassy in Kinshasa works closely with the UN mission (MONUSCO) to increase the international community's understanding of the human rights situation, it works closely with its EU counterparts to co-ordinate lobbying on human rights issues. I discussed human rights issues during my visit to the DRC in March. The UK Missions to the UN in New York and to the Human Rights Council in Geneva work with international partners to ensure continued focus on the human rights situation in DRC, and the UK has pressed for the DRC to remain on the agenda at the UN Human Rights Council.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions his Department is having with representatives of (a) Democratic Republic of Congo and (b) neighbouring countries on the outcome of the disputed elections in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK has made clear its very serious concern about the numerous electoral irregularities noted in several observer mission reports. The Department for International Development (DFID), along with other donors, has called for an independent, honest, inclusive and thorough evaluation to be undertaken of the electoral process to date, and for the recommendations of the EU observer mission to be implemented promptly. I raised this with President Kabila during my recent visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), welcoming his public recognition that the process was imperfect and saying that I looked forward to his supporting the independent evaluation so that lessons could be learnt ahead of provincial elections. This message will be taken to the new Government and Parliament once in place. DFID has not discussed the outcome of the DRC elections with representatives of neighbouring countries.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of (a) human rights and (b) the integrity of the recent elections in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Andrew Mitchell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) leads on human rights issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and closely monitors the situation as a country of concern. Her Majesty's Government's assessment can be found in the FCO 2011 Annual Human Rights report, a copy of which is placed in the parliamentary Library and also available online on the FCO website
	http://fcohrdreport.readandcomment.com/human-rights-in-countries-of-concern/
	On elections, I am pleased that the majority of Congolese voters were able to exercise their democratic rights peacefully. However, I am disappointed that irregularities and fraud, particularly during the compilation of results, undermined the credibility and integrity of the electoral process. I raised this with President Kabila during my recent visit to the DRC, welcoming his recognition that the process was flawed and saying that I looked forward to his supporting the independent evaluation so that lessons could be learnt ahead of provincial elections.

Developing Countries: Corruption

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has made an estimate of the cost of corruption to developing countries.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development has not made its own estimate. It is not necessary to have a financial assessment for there to be widespread recognition that corruption threatens economic growth in developing countries, wastes resources and deters investment. The coalition Government will not tolerate corruption and in all their development programmes do their utmost to eliminate it.

Developing Countries: Females

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his Department's budget support for developing countries was spent on projects promoting women's rights and empowerment in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) puts girls and women at the heart of everything we do. DFID's Strategic Vision for Girls and Women, launched last March, sets out four strategic areas for greater action in all 28 country programmes. It is not possible to calculate the precise proportion of our budget which is spent on this.

Developing Countries: Maternity Services

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he plans to publish his Department's position paper on maternal health; and whether he has any plans to consult civil society organisations before the publication of the paper.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK Government's Framework for Results for improving reproductive, maternal and newborn health in the developing world “Choices for women: Planned pregnancies, safe births and healthy newborns” was launched on 31 December 2010. The publication of the Framework for Results followed the required consultation period and included relevant civil society organisations.
	It can be found on the Department for International Development's website at
	www.dfid.gov.uk/rmnh

Developing Countries: Primary Education

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the progress on the Millennium Development Goals to achieve universal primary education.

Andrew Mitchell: The past decade has seen marked advances in primary school enrolment, however progress towards universal primary education has slowed. 67 million children are still out of school, over half of whom are girls.
	The UK Government are committed to playing our part in helping to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including those for education. By 2015 we will be supporting at least 11 million children in school (9 million in primary and 2 million in secondary). In addition, as part of the recently launched Girls Education Challenge, we will work with charities and businesses to find new and effective ways to educate up to one million of the world's poorest girls.

Developing Countries: Sanitation

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent progress he has made on achieving the Millennium Development Goal on sanitation.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government have committed to achieving a series of challenging targets over the next four years including contributing to the achievement of the millennium development goal target of ensuring that 75% of people have access to basic sanitation by 2015. The UK will ensure that 25 million more people have access to improved sanitation facilities.
	We now have water and sanitation programmes in 16 of the highest burden countries in terms of numbers of people without access to sanitation. For more information on individual sanitation projects being delivered through the Department for International Development (DFID) in specific countries, please visit the DFID website at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/What-we-do/Key-Issues/Water-and-sanitation/

Developing Countries: Sanitation

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal targets on sanitation.

Andrew Mitchell: Sanitation is the most off track Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target in Sub-Saharan Africa with seven out of 10 people in this region having no access to even a basic toilet, compared to the global figure of around 40% of the world's population (2.5 billion people) still lacking basic sanitation—we need to accelerate progress.
	Improving sanitation and hygiene are key targets, both important in themselves as well as for their potential public health benefits. The UK Government have water and sanitation programmes in 16 of the top 20 countries in terms of numbers of people without access to sanitation. The Department for International Development is committed to achieving a series of challenging targets over the next four years as part of an overall review of our work. These will contribute to the achievement of the MDG target of ensuring that 88% of people have access to safe drinking water and 75% to basic sanitation by 2015. They include 25 million more people having access to improved sanitation facilities and 15 million more people being reached by promoting the practise of good hygiene.
	I will be personally attending the High Level Meeting of the Sanitation and Water for All Partnership in Washington on 20 April, alongside the spring meetings of the World Bank. With the meetings taking place alongside one another it is helpful in securing the attendance of key decision-makers.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the level of investment in research and development for new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics for tuberculosis in developing countries; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of such investment.

Stephen O'Brien: The StopTB Partnership at the World Health Organisation has estimated that an investment of $9.8 billion is required from 2011-15 for tuberculosis research, which includes the development of new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics for use in developing countries. The size of the problem means that global action is required, rather than work by any one Government or agency.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) is working alongside other donors, supporting several public-private product development partnerships (PDPs), to develop new, drugs, vaccines and diagnostics for tuberculosis (TB):
	The Global Alliance for TB Drugs has developed new, faster methods to test new drugs and drug combinations with the aim of reducing current treatment times by at least two months
	AERAS—the Global TB Vaccine Foundation has six vaccine candidates in early stages of clinical development.
	The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), has developed five new diagnostic tests for TB, including GenXpert for rapid detection of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB.
	The UK Government consider that supporting PDPs is an effective research investment. The establishment of PDPs has resulted in accelerated new technology development and there are now more promising drug, vaccine and diagnostic candidates in the development pipeline than at any other point in history. PDPs have portfolios of product candidates and can quickly close down projects that are not successful. They can leverage resources from public and private sectors and can increase the speed with which new products can be brought to market.

East Africa

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect of the activities of Al Shabaab on delivery of aid in East Africa.

Andrew Mitchell: In the past six months Al Shabaab has banned 18 humanitarian organisations from operating in areas under their control. Latest United Nations (UN) figures demonstrate that some 400,000 fewer people are able to access food as a result of these actions. The bans have also led to the closure of nutrition and health centres.
	The UK is working hard to ensure aid continues to reach those where possible. In the last six months, UK aid has treated over 18,000 starving children, helped provide food for over 300,000 people and vaccinated over 1.3 million children. Despite these successes, gaps remain and the UN estimate that some 2.51 million people remain in need of humanitarian assistance, mostly in southern Somalia.

Email

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on the period for which emails sent and received by (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department are retained; and whether such emails are recoverable from the IT systems in his Department after that period.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has one policy for email handling that applies to Ministers, officials and special advisers. Emails are retained for 90 days and automatically deleted after that period. If an email forms part of the official record, then it is saved into the Electronic Document and Records Management System. If the email is not apart of the official record it will either be deleted or purged at the end of the 90 day period. Email that has been purged cannot be recovered.
	Emails that have been saved as part of the official record are retained by DFID for defined periods or retained for transfer to The National Archive.

EU Aid

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to discuss with his EU counterparts the re-orientation of the EU development budget towards tackling the inter-relationship between environmental management, climate change and poverty alleviation.

Stephen O'Brien: I welcome the European Commission's commitment to improving the links between its policies on poverty alleviation and other key policies, such as those for environmental management and climate change; but progress on turning this commitment into concrete action has been too slow. Negotiations have now begun on the next long-term EU budget framework covering the period 2014-20 and the UK is taking the opportunity to press the EU to make much faster progress on this. We are also seeking to ensure that the Commission develops strong evidence to demonstrate the greater impact achieved of putting poverty alleviation policies into action alongside broader policies.

G20

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's objectives are for the G20 meeting in June 2012.

Andrew Mitchell: My objective for the G20 summit in June is for G20 Heads of State to agree a set of actions that promote economic growth in low income countries. I fully support the Mexican presidency's development priorities this year of food security, infrastructure and green growth. Linked to this the G20 should demonstrate progress against the actions on food security and infrastructure that it agreed at the Cannes summit last November. The summit should also contribute positively to the Rio+20 conference that immediately follows it.

G8

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's objectives are for the G8 meeting in May 2012.

Andrew Mitchell: The development focus of the G8 summit in May 2012, under the United States (US) presidency will be food security. We fully support their proposal to catalyse international support and commitment to tackle the severe food security challenges in Africa.
	G8 transparency and accountability remain key priorities for the UK. We are continuing to press for a robust and credible G8 Accountability Report in 2012, showing progress against commitments made at earlier summits on food security, health, aid levels and aid effectiveness.

Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the freezing of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria expenditure on the prospects of achieving Millennium Development Goal 6 to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; and how the freeze on new projects will affect his Department's targets for reducing cases of these diseases.

Andrew Mitchell: Global Fund financing has not been frozen. The fund still expects to spend between $9 billion and $10 billion over the next three years. The fund's board decided in November 2011 to cancel Round 11 funding because there was insufficient funding to support further scaling-up. But the board agreed to replace it with a Transitional Funding Mechanism and to use existing resources to accelerate changes in line with the fund's new strategy, which will allow a more predictable and strategically focused method of supporting country programmes. While it is still too early to say what the impact of these decisions will be on the fund's overall results, the fund is working on such an assessment and is accelerating reforms to implement the new approach to funding, including through the renewal of existing grants.

India

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effects of the construction of the Teepaimukh Dam in India on people living in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh; what representations he has made to the Indian government regarding their compliance with the 1997 UN Convention on non-navigable watercourses; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: The Government are aware of concerns about the Teepaimukh Dam and the effect its construction may have on people living in Bangladesh. The UK has not made any formal representations on this to the Indian Government. However the Department for International Development is already supporting discussions between both countries and others in the region about sharing the Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra and their tributaries through the South Asia Water Initiative. We are looking at what else we could be doing to support a good resolution of the issues through our programmes.
	The 1997 UN Convention on the Non-Navigational Uses of Watercourses has not entered into-force to date as too few countries have either ratified or acceded to this convention. The UK has not ratified nor acceded to the convention and neither has India or Bangladesh. As a consequence, they are not legally bound by the provisions in the convention.

Overseas Aid

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to set official development assistance at 0.7 per cent. of gross national product.

Andrew Mitchell: The coalition has set out how we will stand by the UK's promise to invest 0.7% of national income as aid from 2013. The Bill is ready and as the Prime Minister has said we will legislate when parliamentary time allows.

Palestinians

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps he has taken to promote economic development in Palestine.

Alan Duncan: In July 2011, the UK Government announced a four year programme of support to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) designed to promote statebuilding and economic development. This included financial and technical support to Palestinians businesses to stimulate private sector growth and create 8,000 new jobs. With international partners we continue to call on Israel to ease movement and access restrictions, which are the biggest obstacle to economic development in the OPTs. We are also assisting the Palestinian Authority to improve economic management and stabilise its finances. This helps create the macro-economic stability need to promote economic confidence, investment and growth.

Palestinians

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost to the public purse was of UK aid spent on Palestinian school textbooks; and what proportion of UK aid this figure represents.

Alan Duncan: The UK's imputed share of spend on Palestinian school textbooks in 2009 (the latest year in which figures are available) was £50,748. This represented 0.000654% of the UK's overseas aid budget for the same year.

Palestinians

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what processes are in place to monitor the content of Palestinian school textbooks.

Alan Duncan: The process for developing and monitoring the content of Palestinian school textbooks is set out in the First Palestinian Curriculum Plan 1998 and implemented by the Palestinian Curriculum Development Centre (PCDC). Under the process set out in the Curriculum Plan, the syllabus of each school grade and subject is evaluated both nationally and internationally. Draft textbooks are then presented to teachers' workshops for evaluation before being scrutinised by panels of academics. Following the initial print runs, further evaluation of each textbook is undertaken by the Assessment and Evaluation Centre. This includes feedback from teachers, content analysis by external experts and structured classroom observations.
	In addition to the monitoring process undertaken by the PCDC, a number of studies by respected research institutions have also reviewed textbooks used in Palestinian schools. Most recently, the US State Department has commissioned a full independent investigation into the content of Palestinian and Israeli school textbooks. This is due to report in 2012.

Sahel

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with his (a) EU and (b) European counterparts on food insecurity in the Sahel.

Andrew Mitchell: Britain has responded quickly to provide assistance to the areas of the Sahel worst affected by the current food security crisis. It is vital that other donors step forward to carry their share of the international response. To this end, I spoke with Kristalina Georgieva, European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response on 25 January. Officials from my Department also lobbied a group of officials from Nordic countries on 9 February. On the same day, UK officials also raised the issue of the Sahel at a meeting attended by representatives from all 27 EU member states.
	In addition, on 28 February, the UK led a round table meeting with senior officials from the European Commission and other donors on European development fund support for African Regional Economic Integration, including pan-African initiatives which could among other things improve food security in the Sahel.
	We will continue to engage in regular discussions with our counterparts in other governments to help ensure an effective response to the crisis.

Sahel

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the extent of food insecurity in the Sahel.

Andrew Mitchell: According to latest reports by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), over 16 million men, women and children across the Sahel region of West Africa are at risk of food shortages in the coming months. This includes up to over 1.5 million children under the age of 5, who are at severe risk. The current numbers of people at risk are:
	5.4 million people in Niger
	3.5 million people in Mali
	1.7 million people in Burkina Faso
	3.6 million people in Chad
	0.7 million people in Gambia
	0.7 million people in Mauritania
	0.7 million people in Senegal
	These figures are expected to rise as the annual “hungry” period between harvests has started early this year.
	In direct response to severe food shortages in the region, I have announced two urgent packages of UK support to help mitigate the crisis, one in January and the other on 14 March. Through this support, British aid will help treat over 400,000 people across the Sahel in 2012. This will include:
	155,000 children and women benefitting from improved nutrition, of which over 87,000 children under 5 will be able to be treated for severe acute malnutrition;
	153,000 people who will receive food;
	a further 104,000 men, women and children, who will benefit from community livelihoods support such as animal feed and animal vaccinations and cash and or in-kind transfers.
	In addition to our direct support British aid is also reaching those in need across the Sahel through the release of £22.8 million from the United Nation's Central Emergency Response Fund—to which Britain is the leading contributor.
	My officials continue to monitor the situation closely and liaise with their opposite numbers in other Governments to ensure that other countries take their fair share of the response.

Somalia

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department plans to take to ensure long-term food security for the Somali people.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK is supporting activities to tackle food insecurity by improving opportunities for long-term jobs. These activities include removing constraints to developing the agriculture, livestock, and fishery sectors, and improving the investment climate and regulatory framework for investment. Since 2010 British aid has, for example, rehabilitated 280 km of irrigation canals, thus putting 22,247 hectares of land under irrigation, and provided over 4,000 youths and women with skills training within the agriculture and livestock sectors.
	The Department for International Development also continues to support humanitarian interventions to strengthen the food security of vulnerable people. Since July British aid has provided 75,000 people with seeds and fertiliser, and almost 560,000 people have benefited from activities aimed at improving the health of their livestock.

Somalia

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the humanitarian effects of the increased troop presence in Somalia announced at the Somalia Conference in February 2012.

Andrew Mitchell: The London Conference Communiqué welcomed the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2036, expanding the African Union Mission in Somalia's (AMISOM) mandate and raising the troop ceiling to over 17,000. Discussions are under way with a number of troop contributing nations and donors to raise the necessary troops and funds. The Government will closely monitor any effects on the humanitarian situation once the new contingents are operational.

Somalia

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he has taken to meet the commitment to better coordinate humanitarian efforts and shift the focus towards long-term development needs following the conference on Somalia in February 2012.

Andrew Mitchell: I have written to Valerie Amos, the UN’s Emergency Relief Co-ordinator, regarding the need for strong Office of the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs' (OCHA) leadership. My officials continue to press the UN and other donors to work more closely together.
	The UN has developed a draft resilience strategy as requested at the London conference in February. My officials are following up to see how this strategy is co-ordinated with other efforts and how it can be implemented. We hope that the Istanbul Conference in June may provide a further opportunity to promote a greater focus on longer term approaches to livelihoods and basic services.

Somalia

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the outcome of the International Conference on Somalia on 23 February 2012.

Andrew Mitchell: The London conference took place at the start of a critical year in which we have an opportunity to bring about real change in Somalia and break the cycle of violence. The number of partners and the level of ambition of the conference made for a groundbreaking outcome where the international community signed up to a clear set of deliverables.
	We are now putting every effort into turning those commitments into action. This includes increasing security by providing more support to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and engaging at a local level to support groups who want to work for peace and will establish representative administrations, in return for which we will help bring services including clinics, schools and roads.

Syria

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to provide humanitarian relief in Syria.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government were one of the first to respond to growing humanitarian needs in Syria. UK support to UN efforts and humanitarian agencies working in Syria is delivering vital medical care and supplies for injured civilians, food rations for over 20,000 people, essential household items for 5,500 people forced to leave their homes, emergency drinking water for 2,750 people, and restoration of damaged water and sanitation infrastructure to ensure access to safe water for over 30,000 people. Our total contribution now stands at £4.5 million.
	I discussed the humanitarian situation with the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Baroness Amos frequently and most recently on 10 April 2012. We are engaging regularly with UN and other humanitarian partners to ensure the international humanitarian response is effective and co-ordinated to address the needs. Restrictions on access remain a clear difficulty for humanitarian organisations working to assist people in desperate need in Syria. The UK fully supports the efforts of the UN and Red Cross to negotiate for increased access for neutral and impartial humanitarian organisations. We continue to call on the Syrian Government to immediately allow full, free and unimpeded humanitarian access so that aid can reach all those in need.

Syria

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in (a) Syria and (b) Homs; and what steps the Government is taking to support those affected.

Andrew Mitchell: I discussed the humanitarian situation with the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Baroness Amos, on 10 April 2012. We remain gravely concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria. Thousands have been killed, wounded or forced to flee their homes to other areas in Syria or to neighbouring countries. Some organisations report at least one million Syrians are in need of humanitarian aid. In Horns alone, there are over 200,000 people in need of assistance. Continued restrictions on access and movements of humanitarian agencies make a full, impartial assessment of the situation difficult but we understand from our partners that the priority needs across Syria are protection, medical assistance, food, shelter and other essential items such as bedding and hygiene kits. We continue to call on the Syrian Government to immediately allow full, free and unimpeded humanitarian access so that aid can reach all those in need.
	UK support to UN efforts and humanitarian agencies working in Syria is delivering vital medical care and supplies for injured civilians, food rations for over 20,000 people, essential household items for 5,500 people forced to leave their homes, emergency drinking water for 2,750 people, and restoration of damaged water and sanitation infrastructure to ensure access to safe water for over 30,000 people.

UN Conference on Sustainable Development

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  whether he plans to attend the Rio+20 conference on sustainable development in June 2012;
	(2)  what his Department's objectives are for the Rio+20 conference on sustainable development in June 2012.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK is actively engaged in preparations for Rio+20. The Deputy Prime Minister will attend. As the lead Department for the conference, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), will be attending the conference.
	The UK is supportive of a strong outcome at Rio+20 and dedicated to being world leaders in international sustainable development and poverty alleviation.
	The UK priorities for Rio +20 as laid out by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs include:
	1. High-level political affirmation on the centrality of green economy for sustainable development;
	2. Better valuation of our natural resources, including through Governments looking beyond GDP as the sole unit of national accounting;
	3. Action on food security in the context of rapid population growth;
	4. The need for private sector involvement to facilitate green growth at Rio, and beyond—and the potential for more sustainable business practices, including through corporate sustainability reporting.
	Rio+20 is a very timely opportunity for the international community to bring the environment and development agendas together in a way that has never been done before and the UK is working to achieve the best outcome possible.

UN Women

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to support the work of UN Women.

Andrew Mitchell: Advancing gender equality and women's rights is a top priority for the UK Government and UN Women has an important role to play in delivering these objectives.
	In July 2011 the Government announced funding of £10 million per year for 2011 and 2012 to support UN Women's work to advance women's economic empowerment, prevent violence to women and girls and support women's political empowerment.
	The Government are also providing £3.25 million over three years for a UN Women project to strengthen women's leadership on peace and security and has seconded an expert to assist with their work on women's economic empowerment.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many contracts Vodafone has been awarded by his Department in the last 12 months.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development has not centrally let any contracts to Vodafone during the past 12 months.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contracts his Department has with Vodafone.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development has one centrally let contract with Vodafone. This contract is for the provision of mobile voice and data telecommunications services.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many voluntary sector referrals to the Work programme are made (a) on an end-to-end basis and (b) on a spot-purchase basis.

Chris Grayling: The data requested for voluntary sector referrals to the Work programme is not available.

Action for Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) the cost to his Department was of each jobseeker found work by A4e, (b) the targets were which were set for A4e and (c) his Department's budget allocation to cover expected costs was in 2011-12; and what he expects each to be in each year from 2012-13 to 2016-17.

Chris Grayling: A4e deliver various welfare to work provision including the Work programme, Jobcentre Plus Support contract (JCPSC) and mandatory work activity (MWA). Only the Work programme attracts a job outcome fee. The maximum financial incentive per participant for all Work programme providers is dependant on the participant group. A table showing the amounts can be accessed via the following link on page 7:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/the-work-programme.pdf
	
		
			    Maximum payment per participant (£) 
			  Benefit Participant group Start Job outcome Sustainment Total 
			 1 Jobseeker's allowance recipients Aged 18-24 (1)400 (1)1,200 2,200 3,800 
			 2  Aged 25+ (1)— (1)— 2,800 4,400 
		
	
	
		
			 3  Those who are seriously disadvantaged in the labour market, including some who have recently received incapacity benefits (1)— (1)— 5,000 6,600 
			        
			 4a Employment and support allowance recipients Those who are required to attend, and Support Group 600 1,200 4,700 6,500 
			 4b  Those who are required to attend, and Support Group-and have recently received incapacity benefits 600 3,500 9,600 13,700 
			 5  All others 400 1,000 2,300 3,700 
			        
			 6 Income support and incapacity benefits recipients All (England only) 400 1,000 2,300 3,700 
			 (1) Indicates brace 
		
	
	The minimum performance standards set for each Work programme provider including A4e can be accessed via the contracts finder:
	http://www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/Common/View%20Notice.aspx?site=1000&lang=en&noticeid=192354&fs=true
	JCPSC and MWA contracts do not have performance targets set; these programmes are paid in relation to starts onto the provision (MWA) and minimum occupancy levels (JCPSC).
	DWP does not allocate budgets at provider level but instead by the different programmes the Department operates. A4e provide contracted provision across a range of these programmes.

Action for Employment

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2012, Official Report, columns 236-7W, on Action for Employment, what involvement his Department has in the contracts with A4e for delivery of the Offender Learning and Skills Service.

Chris Grayling: DWP does not contract with A4e for the delivery of the Offender Learning and Skills Service.

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his planned extension of online service, what information his Department holds on the proportion of benefit claimants who have broadband at home.

Chris Grayling: The Department will be publishing research on working age benefit and tax credit claimants in May 2012, which will include information on home broadband access.

Carer's Allowance

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to recover overpayments of carer’s allowance in cases where the person to whom the claim relates has died.

Maria Miller: In cases where overpayments of carer’s allowance have arisen because the person being cared for has died, then recovery will be sought from the carer. This is on the basis that the carer has a duty to inform the Department of any changes that will affect entitlement to the carer’s allowance. In seeking such recovery due, regard will be had of the individual’s circumstances as it is the Department’s policy to seek recovery of overpayments without causing undue financial hardship.

Catering

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on complimentary refreshments for (a) staff and (b) visitors in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: The Department does not differentiate between staff and visitors in the information it holds on refreshment expenditure.
	Reported expenditure on refreshments in 2009-10 was £286,000.
	Expenditure for the current year (2011-12) up to and including January 2012, the latest period for which figures are available, is £43,000.
	The Department continuously seeks to drive down discretionary expenditure to deliver value for taxpayer's money.

Children: Maintenance

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support he is providing to separated parents to help them agree their own arrangements for the payment of child maintenance.

Maria Miller: The Government-funded child maintenance options service provides impartial information on child maintenance issues and support to help parents make collaborative family-based arrangements. It has a range of tools, including a child maintenance calculator, to help parents work out how much they may pay or receive, a discussion guide to help parents talk to each other about an arrangement, and a family-based arrangement form, which parents can complete when making their own arrangements.
	On 25 January, the Government announced £20 million investment to support separating and separated parents. A steering group of voluntary and community sector experts as well as academics is advising on how best this money should be used to co-ordinate existing services and evaluate what works in helping parents through separation.
	The steering group will help define what is needed, which could include: a web service that will be able to provide diagnosis and online material as well as signposting parents to specialist websites and local support services in their area; a helpline support for separating parents who need information and contact details for specialist and local support services that could help them; and co-ordinated local services to offer help and support.

Contracts for Services

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2012, Official Report, column 489W, on contracts for services, how many offshoring proposals received since May 2010 he has accepted.

Chris Grayling: holding answer 26 March 2012
	All proposals to carry out work internationally submitted to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) by its suppliers are required to demonstrate compliance with a number of key criteria, before they are formally considered for approval by the Department. These criteria include evidence that the proposal is financially beneficial to the taxpayer and that it meets stringent security standards. In assessing financial benefit to the taxpayer, the Department considers the impact on UK jobs.
	Since May 2010, the Department has only accepted proposals from its suppliers to carry out work internationally that meet these criteria, it has not accepted any proposals that would result in the loss of existing jobs within the UK.

Contracts for Services

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many offshoring proposals were received by his Department in each of the last five years; and how many such proposals were accepted.

Chris Grayling: All proposals to carry out work internationally submitted to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) by its suppliers are required to demonstrate compliance with a number of key criteria, before they are formally considered for approval by the Department. These criteria include evidence that the proposal is financially beneficial to the taxpayer and that it meets stringent security standards. In assessing financial benefit to the taxpayer, the Department considers the impact on UK jobs.
	Since May 2010, the Department has only accepted proposals from its suppliers to carry out work internationally that meet these criteria, it has not accepted any proposals that would result in the loss of existing jobs within the UK.

Council Tax Benefits

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who were (a) eligible for and (b) in receipt of council tax benefit in (i) England, (ii) the north-west, (iii) Cumbria and (iv) South Lakeland in each of the last five years.

Steve Webb: The information requested on the number of eligible people is not available.
	The available information, relating to claimants in receipt of council tax benefit, is as follows:
	
		
			 Council tax benefit recipients in England, north-west region, Cumbria and South Lakeland: August 2007 
			  Recipients 
			 England 4,270,800 
			 North-west 682,700 
			 Cumbria 38,600 
			 South Lakeland 5,700 
			 Notes: 1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 100 and totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases. Source: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100% caseload stock-count taken in August 2007 
		
	
	
		
			 Council tax benefit recipients in England, north-west region, Cumbria and South Lakeland: December 2008 to December 2011 
			  England North West Cumbria South Lakeland 
			 December 2008 4,380,310 692,770 38,130 5,420 
			 December 2009 4,772,460 747,860 40,400 5,880 
			 December 2010 4,932,020 774,980 41,450 5,970 
			 December 2011 4,992,180 786,400 41,890 6,030 
			 Notes: 1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Recipients are as at second Thursday of the month. 4. Data from November 2008 onwards are derived from the new Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) which is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems, whereas earlier years are derived from quarterly aggregate clerical returns. Figures from the two sources may not be directly comparable; the introduction of SHBE has improved the accuracy of HB/CTB statistics as it is based on individual claimant records rather than summary statistics, has a higher completion rate from local authorities leading to less estimation of missing data, and is subject to more thorough quality assurance 5. Data on HB/CTB can be found on the Departments website at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbctb Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE)

Council Tax Benefits: Take-up

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he is taking steps to increase the take-up of council tax benefit.

Steve Webb: Council tax benefit will be abolished from April 2013 and replaced in England with localised schemes of support. The Department for Communities and Local Government are taking forward legislation to allow local authorities to apply reductions in council tax liability to those on low income.
	Local authorities will be responsible for the design and administration of local schemes, including the approach with respect to take-up.

Devolution: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) discussions he has had and (b) consideration he has given to the transfer of responsibilities from his Department to the Welsh Government.

Chris Grayling: My ministerial colleagues and I are in regular contact with ministers in the Welsh Government about a range of matters relevant to Wales. My department continues to work closely with the Welsh Government on changes to Department for Work and Pensions responsibilities relevant to the Welsh Government.
	Two changes to the benefit system will lead to the transfer of funding to the Welsh Government to implement schemes which in England will be administered by local authorities.
	Firstly, council tax benefit is being abolished and the Welsh Government will be funded to bring forward a replacement scheme in Wales.
	Secondly, the Welfare Reform Bill 2011 abolishes the discretionary social fund, introduces payments on account to replace crisis loan alignment payments and eventually budgeting loans. It also paves the way for the delivery of new local provision to replace community care grants and crisis loans for general living expenses. The Welsh Government will be funded to bring forward replacement arrangements. The Minister for Welfare Reform has met Leighton Andrews, Welsh Minister for Education and Skills to discuss issues including council tax benefit and the social fund on 21 March 2012. The Minister for Pensions, has been in contact with Carl Sargeant, Welsh Minister for Local Government and Communities, to keep him fully informed of progress with respect to developments on the social fund. The devolved administrations will determine the most appropriate arrangements for Wales and Scotland.

Disclosure of Information

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to improve data transparency in his Department.

Steve Webb: The Department regularly publishes National Statistics on its DWP website at:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?paae=tabtool
	and
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/
	the official website for labour market statistics.
	Both sites allow individuals to construct tables to meet their own requirements.
	In addition DWP information is regularly published through the Government's Transparency website:
	http://data.gov.uk
	This includes the following range of data:
	Financial Data
	Government Procurement Card Data (GPC) over £500
	Financial spend data over £25,000
	HR Data
	Job titles, organograms and salaries of senior civil servants in DWP Workforce Management Information including details on staff numbers, pay bill costs
	Non consolidated performance related pay
	Other datasets
	Business Plan Quarterly Data Summaries—quarterly snapshots on how each Department is spending its budget, the results it has achieved and how it is deploying its workforce
	The Department has also set up a Welfare Sector Transparency Board which includes membership from industry and academia. The board will help drive greater transparency by identifying further anonymous DWP datasets for release and wider re-use.

Disclosure of Information

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to require Work programme providers to publish all performance data.

Chris Grayling: The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority in order to comply with the code of practice for official statistics and to protect the integrity and accuracy of data; as such, we aim to publish official statistics on job outcomes from autumn 2012.
	However, we propose to allow providers to publish data that does not compromise the official statistics and aim to issue guidance to providers by the end of April.

Emma Harrison

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what role he played in the appointment of Emma Harrison as the Government's adviser on troubled families.

Chris Grayling: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), was made aware in advance of the Prime Minister's announcement and was advised that there was no conflict of interest with Emma Harrison's role in A4e. At this stage Ministers had not been informed of any allegations of fraud that led to the current investigation.
	Emma Harrison had no formal role in advising Government. Emma Harrison's involvement in the workless families' initiative was on a purely personal and voluntary basis.

Employment Agencies: Young People

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many under (a) 18s and (b) 21s currently work as agency workers.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many under (a) 18s and (b) 21s currently work as agency workers. 102068
	Estimates of agency workers come from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). For the period October-December 2011 it is estimated that there were 18,000 people aged 16 to 20 inclusive who were in temporary employment through an employment agency. It is not possible to provide an estimate for those under the age of 18 because the sample size for the survey is too small.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. It is estimated that the true value is likely to be between 8,000 and 29,000.

Employment and Support Allowance

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of appeals to employment support allowance tribunals were successful in each of the years from 2008 to 2011.

Chris Grayling: The Department regularly publishes official statistics on employment and support allowance (ESA) and the work capability assessment (WCA). The latest report was published in January 2012 and can be found on the internet at the link as follows:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca
	Table 3 in the publication gives the outcomes of completed appeals by the month the claims started. The latest information available relates to claims beginning before end November 2010 and includes outcomes of appeals on these cases heard up to the end of November 2011.
	Note that these figures do not include WCAs completed on incapacity benefits reassessment claims.

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  when he expects to publish data on the number of appeals and successful appeals against employment and support allowance fit for work and work-related activity group decisions;
	(2)  what proportion of people making new claims for employment and support allowance who were (a) placed into the work-related activity group and (b) found fit for work have lodged an appeal against the decision.

Chris Grayling: The Department regularly publishes official statistics on employment and support allowance (ESA) and the work capability assessment (WCA). The latest publication was released in January 2012 and can be found on the Departmental website at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca
	The next provisional release date is 24 April 2012.
	Table 3 of the publication mentioned above covers the number and outcomes of appeals heard on Fit for Work decisions in the initial functional assessment. Information on appeals heard on work-related activity group decisions is not available. Note that information of the number of claimants found fit for work who have lodged an appeal that has not yet been heard is not available.

Employment and Support Allowance: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many referrals have been made to Work programme providers in Coventry of employment and support allowance claimants in each of the last six months.

Chris Grayling: Official statistics on Work programme referrals and attachments up to the end of October 2011 were published on 21 February. The information requested can be found via the tabulation tool which is published on the Department’s website at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wp

Employment and Support Allowance: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals against employment and support allowance decisions there were in Coventry in each of the last six months; and how many such appeals were upheld.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.

Employment Schemes

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people aged 18 to 24 years have participated in the Government's work experience programme in Birmingham Ladywood constituency; and what proportion of participants have since gained employment with the organisation with which they undertook work experience.

Chris Grayling: Between January and November 2011, there were 190 starts from people aged 18-24 years on work experience placements in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency.
	The jobseeker's allowance claimant count figures are published on NOMIS: for example, the number of people aged 18-24 on the claimant count in April 2011 in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency was 2,095.
	We do not collect information in respect of whether or not work experience participants subsequently gained employment with their host employer. There is no requirement for jobseeker's allowance claimants to tell us the name of their employers when they move into work, and neither are they obliged to inform us they have found work.

Employment Schemes

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average number of people in receipt of training allowance was in each of the last five years.

Chris Grayling: The figures are in the table:
	
		
			 Average number on training allowance 2007-2011 (1) 
			  Average 
			 2007 29,980 
			 2008 34,690 
			 2009 44,880 
			 2010 47,355 
			 2011(1) 40,220 
			 (1) For 2011 the data is only available from January to November 2011. The November 2011 data is provisional, 2007 - October 2011 data is final. Notes: 1. The figures are presented for calendar years. The figures are an average of the numbers on training allowance on the first day of each month in the year. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. Source: DWP administrative data (JUVOS Training Allowance), January 2012

Employment Schemes

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals received training allowance between 1997 and 2010.

Chris Grayling: The number of people who received training allowance between 2000 and 2010 is 1,396,300.
	Notes:
	1. Training allowance data are only available from 2000; therefore we are unable to provide information back to 1997.
	2. An individual could have received training allowance on more than one occasion, and therefore would be counted multiple times in this figure.
	3. The figure is rounded to the nearest hundred.
	Source:
	DWP administrative data (JUVOS Training Allowance), January 2012

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his indicative forecasts for employment and support allowance clients joining the work programme take account of the first revised descriptors; and what assessment he has made of their effect on the number of people found fit for work.

Chris Grayling: The indicative forecasts for employment and support allowance clients joining the work programme are based on a number of assumptions, one of which is the number of people found fit for work. The assumption for fit-for-work rate takes account of the first revised descriptors, amongst a number of other factors, such as the Harrington review. Therefore, it is not possible in our forecasts to isolate the effect the revised descriptors have had on the number of people found fit-for-work.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he next plans to analyse Work programme supply chains to establish how many referrals are being made to voluntary sector providers.

Chris Grayling: The next stock take is planned for 30 July 2012 and every six months thereafter.
	Official statistics on Work programme referrals and attachments up to the end of October 2011 were published on the Department's website on 21 February:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wp
	In addition a one-off exercise identified that up to 17 November 2011 20% of all Work programme attachments were referred to the tier 1 and tier 2 voluntary sector organisations.

Employment Schemes: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of those aged 18 to 24 have received benefit sanctions as a result of their non-participation in the mandatory work experience programme in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency.

Chris Grayling: The Department does not run a programme called mandatory work experience.
	Work experience helps young unemployed people get valuable work experience through a placement with a local business. This can help them build their CVs and make them more marketable to potential employers. While participating in work experience claimants continue to receive jobseeker's allowance subject to meeting the availability and actively seeking work requirements.
	On 29 February 2012, the Government announced that sanctions would only apply to work experience participants when they lose their placement due to gross misconduct.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish his Department's risk register for the (a) Work Programme and (b) Youth Contract; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: This information is being withheld under the exemption in section 36 (2) (b) and (c) of the Freedom of Information Act.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people under the age of 24 who had been claiming jobseeker's allowance or training allowance or were in a Government-funded placement on the Future Jobs Fund in each of the last three years.

Chris Grayling: The data required to give an estimate of the number of people under the age of 24 who had been claiming jobseeker's allowance or training allowance or were in a Government-funded placement on the Future Jobs Fund in each of the last three years are not readily available and would incur disproportionate costs to the Department to provide.
	Figures are available separately for new claims to jobseeker’s allowance, training allowance and Future Jobs Fund only. The figures are in the following tables.
	
		
			 Jobseeker's allowance new claims for claimants aged 18 to 24, 2009 to 2011 
			  New claims 
			 2009 1,529,805 
			 2010 1,444,310 
			 2011 1,429,255 
			 Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. Source: NOMIS, March 2012 
		
	
	
		
			 Training allowance starts for claimants aged 18 to 24, 2009 to 2011 
			  Starts 
			 2009 204,460 
			 2010 269,310 
			 2011(1) 147,250 
			 (1 )The figures are presented for calendar years. For 2011 the data are only available from January to November 2011. The November 2011 data are provisional, 2009 to October 2011 data are final. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: DWP administrative data (JUVOS Training Allowance), January 2012

Employment Schemes: Young People

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what provision has been made within the Youth Contract for the participation of young disabled adults.

Chris Grayling: The Youth Contract, worth nearly £1 billion, builds on the substantial support already available to help unemployed young people enter work. The Youth Contract includes more intensive support for all 18 to 24-year-olds claiming jobseeker's allowance, including those with disabilities, such as additional work experience and sector-based work academy places, and a new wage incentive which covers all 18 to 24-year-olds who are on the Work programme.
	The Department also offers a range of specialist employment provision specifically aimed at disabled people whose needs cannot be met through other mainstream provision, such as Work Choice and Access to Work.

Hartlepool Power Station

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the oral answer of 8 March 2012, Official Report, column 1007, on the loss of a memory stick containing data relating to Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station, if he will make a statement on the investigations his Department has undertaken into the data loss.

Chris Grayling: The loss of the unencrypted memory stick by a member of ONR staff while in India occurred in November 2011. It contained a draft report relating to Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station. This did not contain any significantly sensitive information and the final version of the report has now been put into the public domain. An internal investigation was conducted by ONR management, which concluded that there was a breach of internal policies and practices. Work continues to ensure that lessons are learnt. Any further measures that may be needed to reinforce ONR's protective arrangements will be addressed by ONR management in the light of this work.

Housing Benefit: Scotland

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the number of claimants of housing benefit for (a) a single room in shared accommodation, (b) one-bedroom properties, (c) two-bedroom properties, (d) three-bedroom properties and (e) four or more bedroom properties in each (i) local authority area in Scotland and (ii) parliamentary constituency in Scotland.

Steve Webb: Estimates of the number of housing benefit claimants subject to local housing allowance by local authority and property type are published on the Department for Work and Pensions website:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-hb-shared-accommodation-age-threshold.pdf
	(Annex 2 Table 5)
	Figures by parliamentary constituency are not available.

Housing Benefits

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of housing benefit claimants who were (a) evicted and (b) deemed intentionally homeless as a result of rent arrears in each of the last five years.

Steve Webb: No estimate has been made.

Housing Benefits: Greater London

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost to each London borough of transitional payments in lieu of housing benefits cap in each of the last six months.

Steve Webb: No estimate has been made. The Government contribution towards discretionary housing payments allocated to each London borough in 2011-12 are presented in the following table. Local authorities may award total discretionary housing payments of up to 2.5 times the contribution from Government.
	The total national Government contribution towards discretionary housing payments for 2011-12 included an additional £10 million to help smooth the transition to the reformed rates of local housing allowance.
	
		
			 Government contribution towards discretionary housing payments in 2011-12 
			 Borough Allocation (£) 
			 Barking and Dagenham 140,486 
			 Barnet 367,785 
			 Bexley 83,039 
		
	
	
		
			 Brent 539,188 
			 Bromley 122,441 
			 Camden 330,258 
			 City of London 3,427 
			 Croydon 269,981 
			 Ealing 382,232 
			 Enfield 275,082 
			 Greenwich 345,536 
			 Hackney 292,211 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 219,084 
			 Haringey 366,870 
			 Harrow 150,295 
			 Havering 87s807 
			 Hillingdon 170,664 
			 Hounslow 141,822 
			 Islington 162,478 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 463,789 
			 Kingston upon Thames 85,704 
			 Lambeth 239,142 
			 Lewisham 253,914 
			 Merton 136,336 
			 Newham 266,262 
			 Redbridge 180,476 
			 Richmond upon Thames 137,113 
			 Southwark 166,711 
			 Sutton 89,521 
			 Tower Hamlets 218,048 
			 Waltham Forest 166,601 
			 Wandsworth 222,607 
			 Westminster 1,104,144 
			 Total 8,181,054

Jobseeker's Allowance

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of off-flows from jobseeker's allowance (JSA) in each of the last 48 months related to transfers from JSA to training allowance.

Chris Grayling: The information is in the tables:
	
		
			 Proportion of off-flows from jobseeker's allowance (JSA) related to transfers from JSA to training allowance—December 2007 to November 2011 
			  Year 
			 Month 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 January — 11.5 11.4 5.2 11.4 
			 February — 6.3 6.2 5.5 9.1 
			 March — 7.6 8.8 7.0 8.0 
			 April — 8.0 6.2 6.0 5.4 
			 May — 7.9 5.6 6.5 10.4 
			 June — 7.6 9.0 8.8 3.3 
			 July — 7.7 4.8 7.6 0.8 
			 August — 5.6 3.7 6.9 0.6 
			 September — 8.0 4.1 7.5 0.6 
			 October — 6.6 3.8 6.0 0.5 
			 November — 5.9 4.1 11.2 (1)0.5 
			 December 5.1 6.6 2.9 6.3 — 
			 (1) For 2011 the data is only available from January to November 2011. The November 2011 data is provisional, 2007 - October 2011 data is final. Source: DWP administrative data (JUVOS Training Allowance), January 2012 
		
	
	The proportion of people starting training allowance started declining from June 2011 compared to previous years. This is because claimants benefiting from our new range of employment initiatives such as the Get Britain Working measures, the Work Programme, and Mandatory Work Activity are kept on jobseeker's allowance, and consequently continue to form part of the claimant count.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed either jobseeker's allowance or training allowance in each of the last 48 months.

Chris Grayling: The data required to give an estimate of how many people claimed either jobseeker’s allowance or training allowance in each of the last 48 months are not readily available and would incur disproportionate costs to the Department to provide. Figures are available separately for new claims to jobseeker’s allowance and training allowance only. The information is in the following tables:
	
		
			 Number of people starting jobseeker's allowance by month, December 2007 to November 2011 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 January — 179,565 290,785 351,585 357,030 
			 February — 266,310 474,125 319,930 332,790 
			 March — 189,645 336,235 283,950 299,395 
			 April — 183,015 311,695 261,695 354,265 
			 May — 185,775 355,480 314,455 245,915 
			 June — 249,315 296,410 251,520 267,240 
			 July — 233,910 333,075 302,550 278,485 
			 August — 297,535 400,710 379,540 300,105 
			 September — 246,310 322,460 276,345 294,445 
			 October — 256,630 325,595 383,125 358,575 
			 November — 350,920 377,290 299,470 272,820 
			 December 219,120 288,190 281,890 282,545 — 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. 2. Data on jobseeker's allowance has been provided up to November 2011 so that they cover the same period as data on training allowance. Source: NOMIS, March 2012. 
		
	
	
		
			 Number of people starting training allowance by month, December 2007 to November 2011 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 January — 16,070 18,720 13,740 31,720 
			 February — 15,610 18,560 17,170 26,880 
			 March — 14,720 24,020 22,550 24,430 
			 April — 15,210 17,210 18,160 19,090 
			 May — 14,740 19,390 24,460 26,960 
			 June — 18,510 27,500 26,880 9,200 
			 July — 15,230 15,060 23,120 2,600 
			 August — 13,720 13,790 25,010 1,490 
			 September — 17,880 13,610 23,650 1,650 
			 October — 15,200 12,620 24,210 1,850 
			 November — 15,670 15,860 33,600 (1)1,390 
			 December 10,780 12,550 8,100 16,780 — 
			 (1 )For 2011 the data are only available from January to November 2011. The November 2011 data are provisional, 2007 to October 2011 data are final. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: DWP administrative data (JUVOS Training Allowance), January 2012. 
		
	
	The number of people starting training allowance has declined in 2011 compared to previous years. This is because claimants benefiting from our new range of employment initiatives such as the Get Britain Working measures, the Work Programme, and Mandatory Work Activity are kept on jobseeker's allowance, and consequently continue to form part of the claimant count.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who left jobseeker's allowance (JSA) to claim training allowance and subsequently returned to claiming JSA in each of the last five years.

Chris Grayling: The data required to give an estimate of the number of people who left jobseeker's allowance (JSA) to claim training allowance and subsequently returned to claiming JSA in each of the last five years are not readily available and would incur disproportionate costs to the Department to provide.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ensure that Territorial Army soldiers taking on additional duties do not lose entitlement to jobseeker's allowance.

Chris Grayling: Reservists undertaking an additional duties commitment are treated in the same way as other reservists. As such, they already receive special treatment in the benefit system, including an exemption from the jobseeker's allowance (JSA) remunerative work rule and they have a higher £20 a week disregard applied to their earnings. Providing the reservist's earnings (less their disregard) do not exceed their JSA entitlement, then they would normally be expected to continue to receive JSA while undertaking an additional duties commitment.

McKinsey and Company

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department paid to McKinsey and Company in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: No payments were made to the management consultants McKinsey & Company Inc. in 2010-11.
	A one off payment of £350,000 was paid to McKinsey & Company Inc. in June 2011. This contract titled "Universal Credit Delivery Model Phase 2" was to provide strategic advice on the UC Delivery Model.

Parkinson's Disease

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease are excluded from continued assessment for medical-related back to work benefits.

Chris Grayling: Entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) is based on an individual's functional ability rather than the condition itself. Anyone claiming ESA will undergo the work capability assessment (WCA). Because the WCA is an assessment of someone's functional capability, not just their condition, and a disability or health condition will affect different people in different ways, it does not list ‘exempted’ conditions. It is important to treat people as individuals and assess their capability for work, rather than labelling them because of their condition.
	As part of the WCA, a health care professional will give advice on when they think a customer's condition may have changed sufficiently that a return to work may be possible. They must also give a justification for this advice. The Department uses this advice to decide when to reassess claimants.
	A claimant for whom a return to work is considered unlikely within two years will be reassessed after two years. This is because, even for claimants who are unlikely to see an improvement in their health and who are unlikely to sufficiently adapt to their condition, it is important that we do not write them off completely. However, this reassessment will not necessarily involve a face-to-face assessment—where possible, the Department may make a decision using paper-based evidence.

Personal Independence Payments

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department plans to take as part of the piloting of personal independence payments to monitor the effects on disabled people who become ineligible for support in respect of (a) care home use, (b) avoidable hospitalisation, (c) Motability vehicles, (d) receipt of other support including carer's allowance and (e) other matters; and what steps his Department plans to take to ensure the results of such monitoring are taken into account in the roll-out of personal independence payments.

Maria Miller: On 12 March 2012, Official Report , columns 9-10WS, I published a written ministerial statement which detailed the Government’s plans regarding the introduction of personal independence payment.
	Our intention is to phase the introduction of personal independence payment, this is not a pilot exercise.
	When personal independence payment is introduced in April 2013, we will limit the number of new claims to a few thousand per month. This will help ensure that processes and procedures are working fully before processing large volumes of new claims.
	We will evaluate the introduction of personal independence payment. The precise scope of the evaluation is yet to be finally determined but results will be made publicly available.
	We will also publish a report to Parliament, two years after the introduction of personal independence payment, on the assessment.

Procurement

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many contracts his Department had with (a) Capita, (b) Serco and (c) ATOS in the last 12 months.

Chris Grayling: In the 12 month period from 30 March 2011 to 29 March 2012, the Department for Work and Pensions awarded the following number of contracts to the following suppliers:
	
		
			 Supplier Number of contracts 
			 Capita 4 
			 Serco 11 
			 Atos 1

Remploy

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support he plans to provide to workers made redundant from Remploy.

Maria Miller: I recognise that announcements regarding the future focus of specialist disability employment support involve difficult news for the staff in Remploy factories and I understand that they will have concerns about the future. As part of the collective consultation, the Remploy Board will consider all proposals with regards to the future of Remploy.
	A comprehensive support package will be in place to support every disabled member of staff who is affected by the announcements on the future of Remploy factories. Each affected disabled member of staff will receive individualised support for up to 18 months to help with the transition from Government funded sheltered employment to mainstream employment.
	This package of support is designed to be flexible so that support can be tailored to meet each individual’s specific needs and will draw on the skills of organisations such as Remploy and Jobcentre Plus, but will also benefit from the experience of organisations such as the Employers’ Forum on Disability, and that of local charities and user-led organisations.

Remploy: Wales

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons he has decided not to devolve funding for Remploy to the Welsh Government.

Maria Miller: The UK Government have taken a considered policy decision to reduce funding to Remploy, and move to supporting individuals rather than institutions. We firmly believe that this will allow us to support thousands more disabled people into work.
	It would not be beneficial to disabled people for the UK Government to transfer a subsidy to the Welsh Assembly Government to continue to support Remploy factories as this would not allow us to implement our UK-wide policy.
	As part of the collective consultation at stage 1, the Remploy Board will consider proposals for the exit of parts of businesses or contracts from those factories proposed for closure along with other proposals for avoiding compulsory redundancies.
	The Remploy Board would be happy to discuss any proposals from Wales or the Welsh Assembly Government for Remploy factories in Wales identified in stage 1 or stage 2 of the proposals.

Social Security Benefits: Telephone Services

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what arrangements are in place to ensure that claimants can telephone benefits officers without being subjected to large phone bills; and what (a) guidance is given to and (b) performance measures set for benefits offices answering and calling back claimants who telephone them.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions operates a number of arrangements to ensure that claimants receive an effective service when contacting us by telephone and do not incur large phone bills.
	The Department offers an immediate call back service to claimants who contact us and request a returned call. Contact Centre agents are trained to provide this facility, and guidance is available to all staff detailing the actions to take. Where a benefit inquiry is complex or time consuming, we arrange to call the claimant back within three hours. Against a 95% target we are currently achieving a 95.9% successful resolution. The performance measure for answering initial calls is currently set at 90%, against which we are currently achieving 91.7%.
	For our most vulnerable claimants, including those claiming crisis loans, we offer a freephone 0800 service to ensure the cost of the call is free to the claimant.

State Retirement Pensions

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each (a) region, (b) local authority and (c) constituency are receiving the basic state pension.

Steve Webb: The information for August 2011 has been placed in the Library.

Taxis

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on taxis for (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants between August 2011 and January 2012.

Chris Grayling: The Department has taken robust action to reduce business travel expenditure which has resulted in an overall reduction of circa 60% since 2009-10 and the Department continues to seek to drive down costs on travel to deliver value for money for the taxpayer.
	In line with the Government's austerity agenda, the Department for Work and Pensions has taken vigorous action to enhance business travel policy. The DWP's business travel policy actively discourages travel, unless the alternatives have been examined and exhausted and where travel is deemed appropriate, encourages the use of the most cost-effective modes of transport.
	Expenditure by the Department on taxis needs to be seen in the context of a Department employing approximately 100,000 people across the whole of the UK, based at over 900 sites.
	An estimated 40% of the expenditure on taxis is incurred to enable disabled members of staff to travel to and from work. This expenditure represents payment by the Department of costs which, in the case of other employers, could be claimed for under the ‘Access to Work’ scheme which Government Departments voluntarily forego.
	As set out in the Ministerial Code, Ministers must ensure that they always make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.
	
		
			  Ministers Civil servants 
			 August 2009 to January 2010 £0.00 £983,313.20 
			 August 2010 to January 2011 £1,199.44 £633,576.56 
			 Change from 2009 to 2010 n/a -36% 
			 August 2011 to January 2012 £502.02 £604,255.94 
			 Change from 2010 to 2011 -58% -5% 
			 Note: Since May 2010 the Department has reduced its number of ministerial cars from six to one resulting in £492,000 in savings from May 2010 to April 2011 against the same period the previous year.

Universal Credit

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what effect he expects universal credit to have on labour market participation.

Chris Grayling: Universal credit represents a fundamental and structural change to the welfare system. The Impact Assessment of Universal Credit, published in February 2011 estimates that there will be a reduction in the region of 300,000 workless households.
	The Government will make a further assessment of the likely impact in the future, including taking account of the shape of local support for council tax once more detail becomes clear.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to announce the changes in circumstances which will lead to a loss of transitional protection under universal credit.

Chris Grayling: The exact definition of the changes in circumstances that will lead to a loss of transitional protection is under development.
	We will provide more information as soon as it is ready. Full details will be set out in regulations, which will be debated in the House.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he expects the system designed to pay universal credit in respect of rent to be fully operational by October 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: Universal credit will provide a new single system of means-tested support for working-age people who are in or out of work. Support for housing costs, children and child care costs will be integrated in the new benefit. It will also provide additions for disabled people and carers.
	Universal credit will be paid as a single monthly payment which will include any entitlement to support for eligible housing costs such as rent. The system designed to pay universal credit is expected to be operational by October 2013.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many contracts Vodafone has been awarded by his Department in the last 12 months.

Chris Grayling: In the 12 month period from 30 March 2011 to 29 March 2012, the Department for Work and Pensions awarded one contract to Vodafone.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what contracts his Department has with Vodafone.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions presently has three live contracts with Vodafone.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times the Permanent Secretary in his Department has met Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months.

Chris Grayling: The Permanent Secretary has not met with Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months.

Winter Fuel Payments

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of households eligible for winter fuel payments in 2011-12; how many applications his Department received for such payments; and how many such payments were made in (a) England, (b) the North West, (c) Cumbria and (d) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency.

Steve Webb: Over 95% of winter fuel payments are made automatically, without the need to claim, based on information held in DWP records. A small number of people whose circumstances we do not know, for instance because they are not on state pension or other benefits administered by DWP, need to make a claim. It is not possible to give the exact number of eligible people, but we have no reason to estimate that eligibility is materially different from the level of payments made—see following table.
	
		
			 Area Number of payments 
			 England 10,896,780 
			 North West 1,480,370 
			 Cumbria 129,440 
			 Westmorland and Lonsdale 25,570 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory. 3. The latest figures for winter fuel payments are published at: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wfp 4. These tables recognise the May 2010 structural changes to the parliamentary constituencies of England and Wales. Source: DWP Information Directorate

Work Capability Assessment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2012, Official Report, columns 647-48W, on work capability assessment, what the criteria was for Atos to accept or refuse requests for audio recording of work capability assessments; and what measures are in place to monitor differential rates of acceptance or refusal nationally.

Chris Grayling: There are no criteria for deciding whether or not to accept or refuse a recording request. Instead, Atos endeavour to offer this facility to anyone who requests it, based on availability. We are in discussion with Atos to negotiate what management information will be required to monitor uptake of recording and the numbers of cases where the requests have not been met.

Work Capability Assessment

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the contribution of the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell of 13 March 2012, Official Report, column 76WH, on work capability assessment, what initial scoping work has been carried out in respect of the Gold Standard Review for descriptors for mental, intellectual and cognitive function and fluctuating conditions; how many cases will be used to test the new descriptors; and what the timescale is for the completion of the work.

Chris Grayling: We are currently working through the detail of how the evidence-based review of mental function and fluctuating conditions descriptors might look and work. It would be inappropriate to make comment on case number, timescales or any possible changes to the work capability assessment resulting from the evidence-based review until the detail has been agreed.

Work Experience

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2011, Official Report, column 94W, on departmental work experience, how many people (a) worked as an intern, (b) undertook a work experience placement and (c) worked as a volunteer in his Department in accordance with the hiring criteria set out in that answer in the last 12 months for which data are available; and how many such people were employed other than according to those criteria.

Chris Grayling: DWP participates in the two week Civil Service Whitehall Internship programme which was announced through the Social Mobility Strategy in April 2011. This programme provides year 12 college level students with an opportunity to undertake a two week work experience placement in a Government Department. The programme is designed to increase professional experience and workplace skills and is aimed at students from under-represented backgrounds. DWP offered seven internships on this programme in 2011.
	DWP also offers internships to graduates and undergraduates through the Summer Diversity Internship programme (SDIP). The programme is aimed at black and minority ethnic university students and those from lower socio-economic groups and seeks to provide talented candidates with six-nine week training placements in Government Departments. DWP offered eight internships across the Department in 2011.
	860 young people took up voluntary work experience placements in DWP between October 2011 and March 15 2012.
	DWP has no record of any volunteers working in the department during over the last 12 months, and has no arrangements to deliver placements or opportunities for voluntary working within the department, except through the voluntary work experiences referenced above.
	At the end of February 2011, DWP employed 98,791 FTE staff (110,275 by ONS headcount). At the end of February 2012 the comparable totals were 89,031.22 and 100,378.

Work Experience

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which companies have withdrawn from unpaid work experience agreements with his Department since 1 January 2012.

Chris Grayling: No employers who signed a national service level agreement with Jobcentre Plus have withdrawn from agreements to provide work experience since January 2012.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Action for Employment

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether any new contracts have been let by his Department to A4e between 27 February and 27 March 2012.

John Hayes: holding answer 27 March 2012
	Neither the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills nor the chief executive of Skills Funding let any contracts to A4e between 27 February and 23 March 2012.

Action for Employment

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2012, Official Report, column 164W, on Action for Employment, what involvement his Department has in the contracts with A4e for delivery of the Offender Learning and Skills Service.

John Hayes: All decisions relating to the funding of individual training providers, including the award of contracts for offender learning, are made by the chief executive of Skills Funding, supported by the Skills Funding Agency.
	Contracts with A4e for delivery of the Offender Learning and Skills Service were let by the Learning and Skills Council in 2009.
	The re-procurement of offender learning (which is currently under way) is being supported by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), which is part of the Ministry of Justice. All decisions about the procurement process are being made by the chief executive of Skills Funding, supported by the Skills Funding Agency, in consultation and agreement with NOMS and Prison Governors. Officials from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have taken no part in the evaluation of tenders by prospective providers.

Aerospace Industry

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the aerospace sector is to the economy; how many people are employed in the industry; what proportion of the industry operates in each region; and what the industry spent on its supply chains in the UK in 2011.

Mark Prisk: According to the National Accounts published by the Office for National Statistics the manufacture, maintenance and repair of aircraft and spacecraft accounted for £6.1 billion gross value added in 2010, 0.5% of the UK economy. It also provided direct employment for 100,000 across Great Britain (employment figures for this industry in Northern Ireland are disclosive and therefore not published). This figure does not include indirect employment within the supply chain supported by the aerospace industry.
	The value of goods and services consumed in production by the aerospace industry was £11.2 billion in 2009; the latest year for which this data is available.
	The following table details the regional breakdown of employment in the aerospace manufacture, maintenance and repair sector (note Northern Ireland is excluded for confidentiality reasons.)
	
		
			 Employment in the aircraft manufacturing, maintenance and repair industries 2010 by region (GB only) 
			 Regions Employment Percentage of total 
			 North East and Yorkshire and the Humber 4,000 4 
			 North West 24,200 24 
			 East Midlands 13,100 13 
			 West Midlands 6,600 7 
			 East of England 8,600 9 
			 London 1,700 2 
			 South East 13,100 13 
			 South West 13,700 14 
			 Wales 11,100 11 
			 Scotland 4,400 4 
			 Source: Business Registers Employment Survey 2010 (ONS)

Aerospace Industry

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support the aerospace industry and its domestic supply chain.

Mark Prisk: The Government are working with the UK aerospace industry, primarily through the Aerospace Business Leaders group and the Aerospace Growth Partnership to see how best the UK aerospace sector can strengthen its competitive position in the global market and maximise the opportunities for growth. This includes looking at supply chain competitiveness issues.
	Business and Government (through the Technology Strategy Board—TSB) are investing in strategically important collaborative research and technology projects such as ‘Next Generation Composite Wing’ and ‘Strategic Investment in Low Carbon Engine Technologies’ (SILOET). Most recently, in the Budget, Official  Report, columns 793-808, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a £60 million investment in a virtual UK Centre for Aerodynamics and related collaborative research to maintain the UK's competitiveness in a technology that is critical to the next generation of more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft.
	On 23 March 2012, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), announced that the £125 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative will open for applications from across advanced manufacturing sectors. This opened on 29 March. This initiative will provide grants and loans to successful projects demonstrating real ambition to create globally competitive supply chains. The funding can support a combination of investment in capital equipment, associated research and development, and training and skills in recognition of the flexibility needed to overcome the barriers that suppliers and supply chains can face. Birmingham city council will oversee the competition to award funds for this national scheme while the Technology Strategy Board will support Birmingham city council through running the competition process. There will be briefings for interested businesses and more information on the criteria of the fund, timescales, eligibility and how to bid will be available at:
	www.innovateuk.org
	This £125 million national initiative is being funded by the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. A number of aerospace companies have previously received a conditional allocation of funding under the RGF including EADS, Airbus, Aeromet, and Messier Dowty, as well as the North West Aerospace Alliance.
	There are also a range of other initiatives that will benefit UK-based suppliers to the aerospace industry and other sectors. For instance, the Department is providing an additional £7 million funding for the Manufacturing Advisory Service to help supply chain companies.
	The Department also continues to provide Repayable Launch Investment to support the development of new aircraft programmes—with commitments totalling some £535 million.

ARM

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions his Department has had with ARM on the effect of its new flycatcher technology on communications.

Mark Prisk: The ARM Cortex-M0+ is a low power processor design which has a wide range of potential applications for ARM's partners. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and its key delivery partners, such as the Technology Strategy Board, seek to keep alert of the latest technologies to understand their impact on a range of issues including the development of communications technologies. However, no specific discussion has been undertaken with ARM on the “Flycatcher technology”.

Arts

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on developing a creative industries export strategy.

Mark Prisk: UK Trade and Investment and the Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (DCMS) officials are in regular contact and also collaborate closely through the Creative Industries International Marketing Strategy Board (CIIMSB), a cross-industry initiative which promotes the UK's creative industries internationally. The Creative Industries Council (CIC) provides a forum for representatives from across the sector to meet with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt) and the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable) and to consider issues impacting on growth in the creative industries such as skills and access to finance.

Business

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will establish a small business administration.

Mark Prisk: The Government are aware of the Federation of Small Businesses' recent calls for the creation of a small business administration (SBA) to represent the interests of small businesses.
	We believe all Government Departments should understand and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and as Minister for Business and Enterprise, I and officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' Enterprise Directorate are responsible for promoting small businesses in Whitehall. In addition, the Prime Minister has appointed Lord Young of Graffham to advise him on enterprise issues.
	There are three main areas covered by the SBA in the US, namely: government-backed loans to strengthen access to capital for small businesses, the provision of business support and leading federal government's efforts to ensure that 23% of federal contracts go to small businesses. In the UK, we are already active in these areas. We have announced credit easing which will see £20 billion of Government guarantees utilised to increase the supply of affordable credit through the new National Loan Guarantee Scheme and we have extended the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme until 2014/15, providing, subject to demand, over £2 billion of additional lending to viable SMEs. We have transformed the way we enable businesses to access the information, advice and guidance they need to start and grow their business including:
	An improved Business Link website
	www.businesslink.gov.uk
	which includes a new Growth and Improvement Service, offering a range of business tools and an updated events management system; and My New Business, a comprehensive tailored start-up service providing online tools and training for those looking to start a business.
	A Business Link helpline (0845 600 9006) which will support people who are unable to access the internet or have difficulty in doing so.
	A mentoring portal
	www.mentorsme.co.uk
	(launched July 2011), provides a single point of access for those seeking mentoring and those seeking to be mentors across the UK. The site connects small businesses with mentoring organisations that can support and guide their development.
	And like the United States, we have an aspiration that by May 2015, 25% of the value of government contracts, both directly and via the supply chain, should be awarded to SMEs by removing the barriers faced by small businesses and eliminating complexities and waste in the process.
	In addition, the Government have taken action to reduce the burden of regulation on the smallest businesses at both a domestic and a European level, for example through the microbusiness regulatory moratorium announced in the Plan for Growth.

Business: Ombudsman

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will establish an ombudsman for small businesses.

Norman Lamb: The Government have no plans to establish a small business ombudsman, but take the concerns of small business very seriously. That is why I am working closely with Lord Young of Graffham, the Prime Minister's Enterprise Adviser, to ensure small businesses' issues are addressed and that Government are doing all they can to promote and boost enterprise. With regard to access to finance matters, we have worked with the banks to establish an independent appeals procedure for businesses that have been declined credit by their bank.

Construction

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the construction sector is to the economy; how many people are employed in the industry; what proportion of the industry operates in each region; and what the industry spent on its supply chains in the UK in 2011.

Mark Prisk: According to the latest ONS Annual Business Survey (ABS), the contribution of the whole value chain, that is, the gross value added (GVA) of construction contractors as well as the GVA generated by construction-related professional services (e.g. architectural, surveying etc.) and the construction products sector, amounted to £85.4 billion in 2010, or 6.6% of UK GVA.
	According to the same source, the whole value chain of the construction sector had a turnover of £248.7 billion and employed 1.8 million people in 2010, representing 5.8% of UK employment. The sector is also characterised by relatively high levels of self-employment, particularly in construction contracting, most of which is not captured by the ABS. According to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) Workforce Jobs series, there were 889,000 self-employed jobs in construction contracting in 2011Q4.
	A breakdown of construction output by region is only available for the construction contracting sector (see Table 1 below, based on non-seasonally adjusted data published by the ONS on 9 March 2012). The table shows that the London and the South East accounted for more than a third of construction output in Great Britain in both 2010 and 2011. The regions contributing the least to total construction output over this period were North East and Wales.
	The value of goods and services consumed or used up in production by the construction contracting sector (i.e. 'intermediate consumption') was £122.2 billion in 2009 (latest year available).
	
		
			 Table 1: Value of construction output by region—All work Great Britain, current prices, non-seasonally adjusted 
			  North East Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands East of England London South East 
			 2010 (£ million) 3,981 9,347 7,199 10,853 21,076 18,685 
			 2011 (£ million) 3,888 8,986 7,540 12,058 23,555 19,925 
			        
			 2010 (percentage of total) 3 8 6 9 18 16 
			 2011 (percentage of total) 3 7 6 10 19 16 
		
	
	
		
			  South West Wales West Midlands North West Scotland GB 
			 2010 (£ million) 9,738 4,108 9,159 11,967 11,272 117,385 
			 2011 (£ million) 9,697 4,445 8,955 11,795 10,868 121,910 
			        
			 2010 (percentage of total) 8 3 8 10 10 100 
			 2011 (percentage of total) 8 4 7 10 9 100

Construction

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support the construction industry and its domestic supply chain.

Mark Prisk: The best way to help the construction industry is by creating a balanced model of economic growth. We are doing this through our Plan for Growth.
	The Government are acting positively to strengthen the industry including reforming the planning system, modernising public sector procurement and setting out the first National Infrastructure Plan (NIP), which will unlock up to £200 billion of public and private investment. The NIP sets out a clear pipeline of over 500 infrastructure projects that will be built over the next decade and beyond, including indentifying the 40 priority projects considered most critical for growth.
	Announced as part of Housing Strategy were a number of measures which will make it quicker and easier to get developments off the ground including:
	The NewBuy Guarantee, which from 12 March 2012 allows prospective first time buyers to obtain mortgages on newly-built properties with just a 5% deposit. This will support an estimated 50,000 jobs in construction and related industries by increasing demand for newly-built homes;
	£420 million Get Britain Building Fund to help get stalled sites moving again. In the March 2012 budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced plans to expand this scheme further; and
	£500 million Growing Places Fund to provide infrastructure support. It was announced in the March 2012 budget that a further £270 million would be allocated to this scheme.
	On 23 March 2012, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), announced that the £125 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative will open for applications from 29 March. This initiative will provide grants and loans to successful projects demonstrating real ambition to create globally competitive supply chains.
	The funding can support a combination of investment in capital equipment, associated research and development, and training and skills in recognition of the flexibility needed to overcome the barriers that suppliers and supply chains can face. (Birmingham city council will oversee the competition to award funds for this national scheme.) There will be briefing events for interested businesses and more information on the criteria of the fund, timescales, eligibility and how to bid is available at:
	www.innovateuk.org
	This £125 million national initiative is being funded by the Regional Growth Fund and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Drugs

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the pharmaceutical sector is to the economy; how many people are employed in the industry; what proportion of the industry operates in each region; and what the industry spent on its supply chains in the UK in 2011.

Mark Prisk: According to the National Accounts published by the Office for National Statistics the manufacture of pharmaceuticals accounted for £11 billion gross value added in 2010, 0.9% of the UK economy. It also provided employment for 41,600 across the UK.
	The value of goods and services consumed in production by the pharmaceuticals manufacturing industry was £8 billion in 2009; the latest year for which these data are available.
	The following table details the regional breakdown of employment in the pharmaceuticals manufacturing sector.
	
		
			 Employment in the pharmaceuticals manufacturing industry 2010 by region 
			 Region Employment Percentage of total 
			 North East 3,200 8 
			 North West 6,800 16 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 3,500 8 
			 East Midlands 2,300 6 
			 West Midlands 700 2 
			 East of England 6,500 16 
			 London 2,500 6 
			 South East 6,000 14 
			 South West 4,300 10 
			 Wales 2,100 5 
			 Scotland 2,100 5 
			 Northern Ireland 1,700 4 
			 Source: Business Registers Employment Survey 2010 (ONS)

E-mail

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on the period for which emails sent and received by (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department are retained; and whether such emails are recoverable from the IT systems in his Department after that period.

Norman Lamb: The general retention policy of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) for e-mails is to delete these 12 months after the e-mail was sent/received. This policy covers the live e-mail accounts of Ministers, special advisers and officials until they depart from BIS, upon which live accounts are deleted.
	E-mails are backed up and retained for a default period of three months after deletion so potentially an e-mail could be available for fifteen months from its sent/received date.
	Machinery of Government changes and some individual staff arrangements may occasionally result in e-mails being retained beyond dates specified in the BIS e-mail policy. Where this occurs the Department seeks to delete such e-mails and accounts as quickly as possible after transition has been completed.
	It is BIS policy that e-mails that need to be retained to form part of the public record are stored in the BIS Electronic Records and Document Management system. These e-mails are retained for a minimum of eight years.

Employment: Females

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the number of women who return to the workforce after a period away from paid employment to look after children in each parliamentary constituency or other geographical area.

Norman Lamb: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) have detailed information on the proportions of women returning to the work force within 12 to 18 months of the birth of their child. The Department also have some more general information from the Labour Force Survey on the broader question of the number of women returning to work after a period off to look after children.
	The difference between these two is that the former source specifically refers to mothers returning to the work force after giving birth, while the latter refers to women returning to the work force after a period spent looking after family at home, which includes time off for births.
	There is no statistically reliable information on the number of women returning to the work force after a period away from paid employment to look after children in each parliamentary constituency. There is also relatively little information by broad regions of the UK, but we give some information as follows.
	The detailed information that we have is taken from the Maternity and Paternity Rights and Women Returners Survey 2009/10. The survey shows that in 2008, approximately three-quarters (77%) of mothers who had worked before the birth of their child had returned to work when the child was aged between 12 and 18 months. The survey report did find that region is an important predictor of returning to work after childbirth, with women in some regions outside London more likely to resume work in the 12 to 18 months after childbirth. In particular, women who worked in the west midlands or east midlands were more likely to return than women who worked in London.
	Of the mothers who returned to work after their maternity leave, the majority returned to the same job with the same employer (84% in 2008). This did not vary by region.
	The figures above do not include mothers who return to work after giving birth at a later point in time (later than 18 months after the birth), or those who may be returning to the work force having taken a break to look after children unrelated to maternity.
	For more general estimates of the number of women returning to the work force after a period away from paid employment to look after children, BIS have turned to the Labour Force Survey (LFS)(1). From the LFS, the Department have produced an estimate of the number of women who fall into the category of currently being in employment(2), having a dependent child under the age of 18, and who were looking after the family home 12 months earlier.
	The LFS shows that in 2011 there were 156,000 such women in employment. The equivalent figures in 2010 and 2009 were 172,000 and 175,000 respectively. To put these figures in context, these numbers represent roughly 1% of all women in employment at any one time.
	These figures are underestimates of the number of women returning to employment after a period away to look after children, as they will not include some of the women who return to work relatively quickly following their maternity, within a year.
	The Labour Force Survey does theoretically allow us to break these figures down into regions, for example by country within the UK, by Government office region, by local authority, and by parliamentary constituency. However, for each of these regional breakdowns, the number of observations per unit is too small to allow statistically robust reporting of the populations in each region, and so we have not reported these here. However, the proportion of women returning to the work force each year compared to the total number of women in the work force in each country of the UK does not vary significantly from the average of around one per cent quoted above.
	(1) Some of the women may be entering the work force for the first time, rather than returning.
	(2) Includes both employed and self-employed women.

Energy

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the energy sector is to the economy; how many people are employed in the industry; what proportion of the industry operates in each region; and what the industry spent on its supply chains in the UK in 2011.

Mark Prisk: According to the National Accounts published by the Office for National Statistics the electricity power generation, transmission and distribution industry accounted for £13.5 billion gross value added in 2010, 1% of the UK economy. It also provided employment for 70,000 across the UK.
	The value of goods and services consumed in production by the electricity industry was £44 billion in 2009; the latest year for which these data are available.
	The following table details the regional breakdown of employment in the electricity sector.
	
		
			 Employment in the electricity generation, transmission and distribution industry 2010 by region 
			 Region Employment Percentage of total 
			 North East 5,800 8 
			 North West 3,800 5 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 6,200 9 
			 East Midlands 3,500 5 
			 West Midlands 5,100 7 
			 East of England 3,400 5 
			 London 4,600 7 
			 South East 10,700 15 
			 South West 8,700 12 
			 Wales 3,700 5 
			 Scotland 13,300 19 
			 Northern Ireland 1,100 2 
			 Source: Business Registers Employment Survey 2010 (ONS)

Environment Protection

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2012, Official Report, column 519W, on industry: carbon emissions, if he will publish a further implementation plan specifically on the low-carbon sector.

Mark Prisk: There are no plans to publish a further implementation plan for the low carbon and environmental goods and services sector. Enabling the Transition to a Green Economy includes a timeline which shows the range of policies that support this sector. Various initiatives are being carried forward, such as the £400 million made available to promote the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles and a £60 million fund provided for the development of offshore wind manufacturing facilities at port sites.

EU External Trade

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the potential annual economic benefit to the UK from each EU free trade agreement under negotiation; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The European Commission in general publishes comprehensive Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIAs) for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) before and after negotiations. SIAs estimate annual economic benefits to the EU from each FTA over the short and long term, across a number of scenarios. This permits estimates to be made of benefits to the UK.
	In particular, with respect to FTAs currently under negotiation:
	(i) EU-Canada: The benefits of this agreement to the UK could be approximately £423 million per annum in the short term;
	(ii) EU-India FTA: This agreement could produce benefits to the UK of approximately £2 billion over ten years;
	(iii) EU-Mercosur FTA: The Commission has conducted some research but there is not yet a published SIA. The UK is pressing the Commission for clarity over its analysis and we hope to see a published SIA in due course;
	(iv) The EU-Malaysia FTA and EU-Singapore FTA are important building blocks towards an EU-ASEAN FTA, which could bring benefits of up to £3 billion per annum to the UK in the long term.
	(v) Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements (DCFTA) with Moldova and Georgia were launched in December and the UK is pressing the European Commission to produce sustainability impact assessments. The economic impacts from these DCFTA on the UK are expected to be limited.
	These estimates are based on extrapolations made by Trade Policy Unit analysts from data and analysis in Commission produced reports, including the Trade Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIAs) which have been published for some of the FTAs under negotiation. Published SIAs are available at:
	http://ec.europa.eu/trade/analysis/sustainabiiity-impact-assessments/assessments/

EU Trade

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the annual economic benefit to UK consumers from the increased variety of goods and services resulting from (a) liberalisation of the single market and (b) EU free trade agreements; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The Government are committed to promoting open markets and strongly support the conclusion of ambitious EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). FTAs deliver economic benefits for a number of reasons including by encouraging diverse and competitive markets in goods and services. During the negotiation of these agreements the EU conducts Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIAs) which estimate the short and long run economic benefits across a range of scenarios. Figures for overall benefit include benefits to consumers although in general the analyses do not disaggregate the data in this way. The results of these assessments are published on the Commission website:
	http://ec.europa.eu/trade/analysis/sustainability-impact-assessments/assessments
	The annual economic benefit to UK consumers from the increased variety of goods and services resulting from liberalisation of the single market are difficult to estimate. As an indication one can look at the overall benefits of the single market. The European Commission has carried out studies showing that for the period 1992 to 2006 alone the overall benefits are likely to have been in the range of 2.15% increase in GDP and 2.75 million extra jobs.
	Rarely do studies show the benefits for consumers of increased variety of goods and services. However, recent analysis by the European Commission estimates that the benefits for European consumers from an increased variety of goods are at €600 per person per year, although this reflects benefits from the EU's external trade policy, as well as the impact of the single market. This analysis is available at:
	http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2010/november/tradoc_146940.pdf

European Fighter Aircraft: India

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to prepare an analysis of the reasons the Eurofighter bid for the contract with the Indian Air Force was unsuccessful.

Mark Prisk: The process in India has not yet concluded. Nevertheless, the German-led consortium has sought clarification from the Indian Government of the reasons for the decision at this stage to open negotiations with Dassault ahead of the Eurofighter Typhoon bid. The response to this will inform the analysis we will conduct with our partners. We remain convinced that the Eurofighter Typhoon offers best value overall and we remain ready to re-engage with the Indian Government.

Flycatcher Technology

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made an assessment of the potential economic benefit to the UK of developing the Flycatcher technology for smart infrastructure.

Mark Prisk: The ARM Cortex-M0+ is a low power processor design which has a wide range of potential applications for ARM's partners. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and its key delivery partners, such as the Technology Strategy Board, seek to keep alert of the latest technologies to understand their impact on a range of issues including the development of “smart infrastructure”. However, no specific assessment has been undertaken on the “Flycatcher technology”.

Free Movement of Labour

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many posted workers from the EU came to work in the UK under the Posted Worker Directive in 2011;
	(2)  how many posted workers from the EU are currently working in the UK under the Posted Worker Directive;
	(3)  how many posted workers the UK sent to other EU member states to work under the Posted Worker Directive in 2011.

Norman Lamb: There is no systematic collection of data on posted workers. The best source of information on the number of postings to and from the United Kingdom is the E101 certificates data published by the European Commission. Data on the number of E101 certificates issued in 2011 and 2010 has not yet been published.
	In 2009, according to E101 certificates data, there were approximately 32,000 postings from the UK to other EU countries under the Posted Workers Directive (96/71/EC). In the same year, approximately 35,000 workers were posted to the UK from other EU countries. The figures for postings to and from the UK in 2009 are broadly similar to those for previous years.
	This is an imperfect measure of the numbers of posted workers, as they measure jobs, not workers and therefore may count some posted workers more than once, as some workers take multiple postings. Workers on very short postings may also not be captured by these data. The data available, therefore, does not allow us to state how many posted workers from the EU are working in the UK at any one point in time.

Government Departments: Buildings

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for Government premises at 25 Queen street in Leeds; and whether any agreements have been signed in relation to the building.

Norman Lamb: The Prime Minister's initiative to encourage start-up businesses by using their stock of surplus unoccupied office space is being led jointly by BIS and the Cabinet Office. BIS is responsible for the business start-up element of this initiative, and Cabinet Office, through the Government Property Unit (GPU), is leading work on the property aspect of the initiative.
	25 Queen street in Leeds is the responsibility of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), and it has been identified by GPU as suitable for the initiative. 25 Queen street is subject to due diligence and ongoing, confidential, discussions with DCLG's landlord. No agreements have yet been signed pending these confidential discussions with the landlord.
	When these discussions are concluded, I will ask the GPU to write to the hon. Member with information regarding whether any agreements have been signed in relation to 25 Queen street, and will place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

Government Departments: Empty Property

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to his proposals to sub-let unused Government premises to small businesses, how many unused Government offices have been identified in each region to be used for small businesses; what the address is of each property that has been identified; and how many (a) have had contracts signed for sub-letting, (b) have been deemed unsuitable and (c) are subject to restrictive covenants or other legal limits.

Norman Lamb: The Prime Minister's initiative to encourage start-up businesses by using their stock of surplus unoccupied office space is being led jointly by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Cabinet Office. BIS is responsible for the business start-up element of this initiative, and Cabinet Office, through the Government Property Unit (GPU), is leading work on the property aspect of the initiative.
	From over 300 spaces in the central Government estate mentioned in the Prime Minister's announcement in January, the GPU, working with Departments, is currently exploring around 130 potentially suitable spaces. As responsibility for the spaces rests with individual Departments, they will consider leases and other legal limits on a case-by-case basis.
	The GPU and Departments are undertaking due diligence and are in ongoing, confidential, discussions with landlords and it is therefore not currently possible to provide either the location of the spaces or the number of contracts signed for sub-letting. No contracts have yet been signed. I will ask the GPU to write to the hon. Member with the appropriate information when these discussions are concluded, and will place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

Government Departments: Empty Property

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses he estimates will take part in the scheme to rent empty government buildings; and how much revenue he expects to accrue to the Exchequer from this scheme in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15.

Norman Lamb: We have no estimate of the number of businesses which will take place in the initiative.
	The initiative is being run on a cost neutral basis and we therefore do not expect the Exchequer to accrue revenue from this initiative.

Government Departments: Private Sector

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to paragraph 1.227 of Budget 2012 Red Book, what the terms of reference are for Lord Heseltine's review; what resources will be provided to Lord Heseltine to allow him to undertake his review; which relevant public sector bodies have been selected for review; which economies will be used for the benchmarking exercise; what private sector companies have been selected for review; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the right hon. Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne) and the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable) have asked my noble Friend Lord Heseltine to undertake an independent review of how spending Departments and other relevant public sector bodies interact with the private sector, and to assess their capacity to deliver pro-growth policies. This will include a benchmarking exercise comparing how other competing economies implement their industrial strategies.
	He will be supported by a secretariat drawn from across Government Departments that will be based in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). As an independent review it will be for Lord Heseltine to decide which economies to benchmark and which public sector bodies to review.

Green Investment Bank

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his proposed timetable is for establishing the Green Investment Bank; and when he expects it to open for applications.

Norman Lamb: The Government have made a series of announcements to the House (24 May 2011, Official Report, column 789; 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 61WS; and 8 March 2012, Official Report, column 67WS), providing details on developments and our forward plans for the UK Green Investment Bank ("GIB").
	To summarise these announcements, I can report that good progress is being made towards establishment of the GIB. The location has been finalised, with headquarters in Edinburgh and the major transactions team situated in a London office.
	Work is currently under way to recruit the chair and senior independent director. Their appointments and the establishment of UK Green Investment Bank plc are due to be announced in the spring, with a view to the bank being fully operational by autumn 2012, subject to state aid approval. The bank will have full borrowing powers from April 2015, subject to public sector net debt falling as a percentage of GDP.
	In advance of the GIB's establishment, from April 2012 the Government will make direct investments in green infrastructure on commercial terms, led by my Department's UK Green Investments team.

Higher Education: Part-time Education

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department has spent on financial education for applicants wishing to study on higher education courses on a part-time basis since May 2010.

David Willetts: I refer the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood to the answer I gave on 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 554W.
	There was no spend on financial education for applicants wishing to study on higher education courses on a part-time basis between May 2010 and May 2011.

Higher Education: Private Sector

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy that private higher education providers should not be able to charge an administration fee for applications for students funded by student loans.

David Willetts: Private higher education providers are not currently subject to fee regulation and are therefore free to set their own fee levels. It is a matter for students to make an informed choice on whether those fees are reasonable and offer value for money.
	We set out in the White Paper “Students at the Heart of the System” our intention to legislate, subject to parliamentary time, so that all providers which access student support funding will be subject to the same conditions. This includes tuition charge caps.

Job Creation

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many jobs have been promoted by UK Trade and Investment in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland.

Mark Prisk: The devolved Administrations have the main responsibility for delivery of trade and investment support within Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
	UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) works closely with them, in particular promoting the UK as a destination for high quality foreign direct investment (FDI), helping UK-based companies develop their business through international trade, promoting UK capability overseas, and promoting overseas trade opportunities to UK companies.
	Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
	In 2010/11 (the last full year when figures are available), UKTI was involved in FDI successes which created and safeguarded the following number of jobs in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland:
	
		
			  Number of new jobs Number of safeguarded jobs Total number of associated jobs 
			 Scotland 1,587 468 2,055 
			 Wales 384 662 1,046 
			 Northern Ireland 380 13 393 
			 Note: The above figures are based on company data and declarations. 
		
	
	International Trade
	Additionally to the FDI successes detailed above, in 2010/11 UKTI through its trade services contributed significantly to the creation and safeguarding of over 126,000 further jobs across the UK. On a pro rata calculation based on the proportion of trade service deliveries by UKTI to companies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in that period, these represent around a further 6,000 jobs in Scotland, almost 4,500 in Wales and almost 4,000 in Northern Ireland.
	The above figures do not take into account those FDI successes and trade service activities delivered solely by the devolved Administrations' own trade and investment promotion teams.

Languages: Training

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what language training his Department provides to support its officials working on UK exports.

Mark Prisk: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) is a joint Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). BIS staff working overseas for UKTI transfer to FCO on a temporary basis when taking up their posts. In markets where there is a language requirement, and if they need it, they receive language training from the FCO before they take up their posting. Language training is delivered both in the UK and overseas and works in three phases. Assessments determine an officer's level in a given language; aptitude tests determine an officer's ability to learn a foreign language and exams test the officer's proficiency in the language.

Manpower

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many officials work on each of the business support schemes that his Department and its agencies currently operate.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 22 March 2012
	The information is as follows:
	Manufacturing Advisory Service—two officials.
	Access to Finance—two officials working on the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme (EFG) and the ex-EFG. Two officials work on the Enterprise Capital Fund and Business Angel and Co-Investment Fund. Two officials work on the Community Investment and Development initiatives.
	Collaborative Research & Development Product (Colin Swan).
	Grants for Business Investment—20 officials including projects taken over from the regional development agencies. These officials work on other duties as well.
	Regional Growth Fund—38 officials working on the fund.
	Smart, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Networking for Innovation (Colin Swan).
	Helping Your Business Grow Internationally—this encapsulates all the support provided by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to enhance the competitiveness of companies in the UK through overseas trade and investment. UKTI is not an employer in its own right. For the majority of its human resource requirements it draws on civil service staff employed by one or other of its two parent Departments, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, staff employed locally in missions overseas drawn from the private sector and people from the private sector in the English regions to support delivery activity. For 2010-11 (see UK Trade & Investment Annual Report and Accounts 2010-11 HC 1005) some 2,270 people work on UKTI's trade and investment business; 1,227 are overseas and 635 are UK-based headquarters posts and 408 are in nine English regions. Some 1,400 of those people are not officials. The average number of full-time equivalent BIS officials allocated by UKTI in 2010-11 to "Helping your Business Grow Internationally" was 397.
	Work Place Training, Including Apprenticeships—The Apprenticeship Unit, staffed by BIS and DfE and accountable to both BIS and DfE Ministers, is responsible for the policy and strategy development of the Apprenticeship Programme. As of 20 March the unit consists of 18.5 full-time equivalent members of staff.
	Designing Demand—the Designing Demand design mentoring programme for small businesses is run by the Design Council on behalf of the Department. No civil servants work on this programme.
	Business Link—four officials.
	Business Coaching for Growth—3.5 officials.
	The role of the Export Credits Guarantee Department (UK Export Finance) is to support exports and investments overseas. It does so through the provision of a number of business support schemes, e.g. insurance and guarantees. The delivery of ECGD's schemes involves staff, directly and indirectly, in functions such as risk analysis, pricing, underwriting, negotiation, documentation, reporting and claims and recoveries. As at 31 January 2012, ECGD had 185 full-time equivalent members of staff and in 2010-11 supported £2.9 billion of business.
	I have asked chief executives of the Executive agencies to respond directly to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 16 April 2012
	Thank you for your question in asking the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many officials work on each of the business support schemes that his Department and its agencies currently operate.
	Please be advised that the Skills Funding Agency is responsible for allocating funding to further education colleges and training providers for adult skills and Apprenticeship training. The National Apprenticeship Service, which is housed, within the Skills Funding Agency, is responsible for the support and engagement of employers in apprenticeships. Neither the Agency or the Service work on business support schemes.
	Letter from Peter Mason, dated 19 March 2012
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (formerly National Weights and Measures Laboratory) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 15 March 2012 (reference 2010/9543) to the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking how many officials work on each of the business support schemes that his Department and its agencies currently operate.
	The National Measurement Office does not have any officials that work on business support schemes.
	Letter from John Hirst, dated 19 March 2012
	I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 15 March 2012, UIN 101083 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Met Office provides many services which are directed at supporting businesses in their efficiency and development. However, the Met Office does not operate any direct business support schemes itself and has no staff working on schemes operated by the Department for Business, Innovation and skills (BIS) and its agencies.
	The Met Office is an accredited Investors in People organisation. Some staff effort is involved in maintaining this accreditation at no incremental cost.
	I hope this helps.
	Letter from David Evans, dated 19 March 2012
	I write in response to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 15 March 2012 which asked the following:
	To ask the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many officials work on each of the business support schemes that his Department and its agencies currently operate.
	As confirmed in our response to your previous Parliamentary Question numbered 96762, Land Registry, which is an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, does not currently operate any support schemes for business.
	Letter from Dr Vanessa Lawrence, dated 19 March 2012
	As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to reply to you in response to your Parliamentary Question asking how many officials work on each of the business support schemes that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and its agencies currently operate.
	As set out in our response to your previous question, Parliamentary Question 2010/9199, as a Government Trading Fund, Ordnance Survey engages with a wide range of businesses as a supplier, as a partner and as a customer. However, the areas of activity mentioned in that response have broad remits of which providing support to businesses is only one. As such, no officials are employed solely to work on business support schemes as such.
	Letter from John Alty, dated 16 March 2012
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 15th March 2012, to the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office, an executive agency of BIS, runs and develops a number of business support schemes targeted at improving access to IP for SMEs. Officials working on these schemes are detailed below:
	Business Outreach Team - 5 (including Lawrence Smith-Higgins, Head of Business Outreach and Education).
	Business Support Policy - 5 (including Guy Robinson, Head of Business Support Policy).
	Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 22 March 2012
	The Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how many officials work on each of the business support schemes that his Department and its agencies currently operate.
	I referred in an earlier answer (question 96762) to a discretionary scheme administered by The Insolvency Service's Redundancy Payments Service (RPS) which occupies one FTE.
	Letter from Tim Moss, dated 16 March 2012
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 15 March 2012, UIN 101083 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House, as we confirmed in our reply to your question of 22 February, does not operate any specific support schemes for business.
	Letter from David Williams
	Thank you for your questions addressed to the Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills regarding, how many officials work on each of the business support schemes that his Department and its agencies currently operate (101083).
	Please be advised that the UK Space Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does note administer any business support schemes.

Manufacturing Industries

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he has taken to ensure that the higher education system provides a workforce capable of supporting manufacturing industry.

David Willetts: Central planning of how higher education meets industry needs is impossible.
	Under the new university funding regime, Government will continue to pay teaching grant to support the higher costs of the scientific, technical, and engineering disciplines. We are also keen to see apprenticeships linked with higher education. Higher apprenticeships have the potential to deliver high level skills tailored specifically to individual business requirements. £18.7 million from the Higher Apprenticeship Fund will support the development of 19,000 new higher apprenticeships in sectors including construction, advanced engineering, insurance and financial services.
	As part of the autumn statement, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) announced two initiatives to improve the information that is available to young people considering careers in manufacturing and other scientific and engineering areas. The first is Government support for an employer-led scheme to facilitate the kite-marking of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (“STEM”) degree courses that will signal which ones best prepare students for employment in particular sectors or occupations, and the second is the extension of the STEM Ambassadors programme into higher education. This will offer undergraduates access to mentoring support drawn from the existing network of STEM Ambassadors and raise the profile of the STEM sector, thereby encouraging more young people to consider a variety of STEM careers including in engineering and manufacturing.
	At undergraduate degree level, in 2010/11 the number of UK-domiciled STEM entrants were up by 1% compared to 2009/10, while non-STEM subjects saw a decrease of 1%. There have been large increases since 2009/10 for Chemistry (+9%) and Physics (+5%). In 2010/11 UK domiciled STEM PhD entrants were up 6% compared to 2009/10, and across all STEM subject PhD entrants rose by 7%. This included large increases in Computer Science (+16%), Medicine and Dentistry (+15%) and Physics (+9%).
	Sir Tim Wilson's recent report to the Department on business-university collaboration presented numerous examples of effective co-operation. We are considering how this extensive good practice can be further extended and consolidated.

Manufacturing Industries: West Midlands

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support manufacturing in (a) Birmingham, Ladywood constituency, (b) Birmingham city council area and (c) the west midlands.

Mark Prisk: Small and medium enterprise (SME) manufacturing businesses in Birmingham and the west midlands can take advantage of our new streamlined Solutions for Business portfolio: eligible companies can gain support in areas such as training and skill development, resource efficiency, exploiting ideas, accessing international opportunities and growing your business. For example, the Business Coaching for Growth programme, which aims to help up to 10,000 high growth businesses a year to address barriers to growth and grow more rapidly.
	Support is also available from the new Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), which offers manufacturing SMEs practical support on all aspects of manufacturing, including direct access to manufacturing experts with a proven track record.
	Manufacturing companies will also be eligible to apply for the Advanced Manufactunng Supply Chain Initiative, launched on 29 March, which will support investment in training to improve skills as well as expenditure on research and development and capital equipment.
	This will complement the significant support given to Jaguar Land Rover through the Regional Growth Fund and Grant for Business Investment scheme to enable them to invest in the new engine plant and development of new models. The Deputy Prime Minister announced a third round of the Regional Growth Fund at the Manufacturing summit on 23 February. Businesses have until 13 June to apply and further information on the application process can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/economic-development/regional-growth-fund
	The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), together with the other partnerships across the west midlands, is putting in place a range of local initiatives to complement these national measures. GBSLEP has established the Birmingham business hub at Baskerville house in Birmingham city centre which provides a one-stop shop for business support. Further details are available from the website at:
	www.centreofenterprise.com

Members: Correspondence

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when the Minister of State for Business and Enterprise plans to respond to the letter of 23 February 2012 from the hon. Member for Weaver Vale on behalf of Mr Anthony Powell.

Norman Lamb: I replied to this letter on 15 April 2012.

Motor Vehicles

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to support the automotive industry and its domestic supply chain.

Mark Prisk: The Department works closely with the UK automotive industry through the Automotive Council with a strategic focus on building stronger supply chains and stimulating innovation.
	On 23 March, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), announced that the £125 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative will open for applications from across advanced manufacturing sectors—including automotive. This opened on 29 March. This initiative will provide grants and loans to successful projects demonstrating real ambition to create globally competitive supply chains. There will be briefing for interested businesses and more information on the criteria of the fund, time scales, eligibility and how to bid will be available at:
	www.innovateuk.org
	A number of automotive companies have received a conditional allocation of funding under the first two rounds of the Regional Growth Fund; including Getrag-Ford Transmissions, JCB, Nissan, Zytek Automotive, Bentley, Cummins and BMW.
	There are also a range of other initiatives that will benefit UK-based suppliers to the automotive industry and other sectors. For instance, the Department is providing an additional £7 million funding for the Manufacturing Advisory Service to deliver supply chain activities over the next three years.
	We are also providing support for research, development and demonstration projects. Government have made provision of over £400 million through the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) to promote the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles. The latest competitions supported by the Technology Strategy Board to accelerate the commercialisation of low carbon vehicles includes up to £25 million for collaborative research and development (with OLEV) and £9.5 million for a low carbon truck demonstration trial (with the Department for Transport).

Northwest Regional Development Agency

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether staff employed by the Northwest Regional Development Agency received retention bonuses after the announcement by the Government of the abolition of the regional development agencies.

Norman Lamb: The eight regional development agencies (RDAs) have put in place arrangements to secure the retention of key staff until the agencies are closed. They have made these arrangements with the approval of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), and HM Treasury. This is to safeguard the taxpayer's interest in making best use of the significant public assets that the RDAs have owned. A retention payment process had been recommended to be put into place by the National Audit Office. At the Northwest Regional Development Agency to date, three members of staff have received retention payments on completion of duties when made redundant.

Office for Life Sciences

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 12 March 2012, Official Report, column 96W, on Office for Life Sciences, for what reason the Office for Life Sciences is undergoing a restructure; if he will place a copy of the business case developed to support the restructure in the Library; and when he expects the restructure to be completed.

David Willetts: holding answer 26 March 2012
	The Prime Minister launched the Strategy for UK Life Sciences in December 2011. This sets out an ambitious programme of activity designed to position the UK as the global hub for life sciences and the location of choice for investment, thus contributing to sustained economic growth. While not a formal restructure, the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) work is being reprioritised to ensure the strategy implementation is adequately supported. No formal business case has been created as the changes will utilise vacant posts, operate within the same staffing envelope and resource budget to ensure more focused responsibilities and greater efficiency.

Prescription Drugs

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which UK universities and research establishments are working on anti-angiogenesis; and how much funding his Department has provided to such establishments for such research in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Willetts: Research is ongoing in many UK research institutions to better understand how angiogenesis is controlled, and thereby how it might be prevented. The Department does not hold detailed information on this.
	The following table shows Medical Research Council (MRC) and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) expenditure directly relating to anti-angiogenesis and angiogenesis:
	
		
			 £000 
			  Anti-angiogenesis Angiogenesis 
			 2006/07 350 2,658 
			 2007/08 139 1,524 
			 2008/09 271 2,022 
			 2009/10 304 2,248 
			 2010/11(1) 500 2,000 
			 (1 )The expenditure information provided for 2010/11 is provisional and subject to change pending the publication of MRC Annual Report and Accounts. Because of this the values have been rounded down to the nearest £0.25million. 
		
	
	BBSRC supports research on the underpinning biological mechanisms underlying the normal developmental and growth process throughout life. BBSRC funds some research on angiogenesis which is the formation of new blood vessels and is a vital process associated with wound healing, repair of damaged tissue and reproduction. BBSRC's aim is to increase understanding in maintaining the balance and control of angiogenesis in normal healthy tissue.
	When the balance of control of angiogenesis is disturbed it can mitigate a wide range of diseases such as cancer, diabetic ulcers, cardiovascular disease. Thus, anti-angiogenesis, the prevention of blood vessel formation and growth, is for example, important in slowing down or stopping the growth of tumours and the spread of cancer and falls under the auspices of the MRC and medical charities.
	The research that the MRC has funded on anti-angiogenesis is being undertaken at:
	The University of Edinburgh
	The University of Oxford
	The University of Manchester
	Queen Mary, University of London
	Institute of Ophthalmology
	University of Leeds
	The MRC has also made an award to the Institute of Cancer Research for a project looking at anti-angiogenesis; however there was no expenditure against this project in the five year period 2006/07 to 2010/11.

Railways: Manufacturing Industries

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the rail manufacturing sector is to the economy; how many people are employed in the industry; what proportion of the industry operates in each region; and what the industry spent on its supply chains in the UK in 2011.

Mark Prisk: According to the Annual Business Survey published by the Office for National Statistics the manufacture of railway locomotives and rolling stock accounted for £0.2 billion gross value added in 2009, 0.02% of the UK economy. In 2010 it provided employment for 4,000 across Great Britain. (Employment data for Northern Ireland is disclosive and therefore not published).
	Estimates from the Annual Business Survey suggest that the value of goods and services consumed in production by the rail manufacturing industry was £1 billion in 2009.
	The following table details the regional breakdown of employment in the railway manufacturing sector.
	
		
			 Employment in the railway locomotives and rolling stock manufacturing industry 2010 by GB region 
			 Region Employment Percentage of total 
			 North West 400 10 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 100 3 
			 East Midlands 2,400 59 
			 West Midlands 400 9 
			 Scotland 200 4 
			 Other regions 600 14 
			 Source: Business Registers Employment Survey 2010 (ONS)

Railways: Manufacturing Industries

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to support the rail manufacturing industry and its domestic supply chain.

Mark Prisk: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is working together with the Department for Transport, the rail sector and key delivery partners, such as UK Trade and Investment, to support the train manufacturing sector and the wider rail supply chain in securing more sustainable UK jobs through clearly identified business opportunities such as the Intercity Express Programme, Thameslink, Crossrail and High Speed 2.
	The Technology Strategy Board also announced last November a £4 million Accelerating Innovation in Rail funding competition to support the development of technologies that are able to address the challenges facing the rail industry.
	The Deputy Prime Minister announced a third round of the Regional Growth Fund at the Manufacturing summit on 23 February. Businesses, including those active in the rail industry and its supply chain, have until 13 June to apply and further information on the application process can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/economic-development/regional-growth-fund
	We are also helping raise skills levels through an unprecedented focus on vocational training, including higher level apprenticeships which will provide for higher level skills and beyond into postgraduate level and professional qualifications.
	On 23 March, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), announced that the £125 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative will open for applications from across advanced manufacturing sectors. This opened on 29 March. This initiative will provide grants and loans to successful projects demonstrating real ambition to create globally competitive supply chains. The funding can support a combination of investment in capital equipment, associated research and development, and training and skills in recognition of the flexibility needed to overcome the barriers that suppliers and supply chains can face. Birmingham city council will oversee the competition to award funds for this national scheme while the Technology Strategy Board will support Birmingham city council through running the competition process. There will be briefing for interested businesses and more information on the criteria of the fund, time scales, eligibility and how to bid will be available at:
	www.innovateuk.org
	This national initiative is being funded by the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) and BIS.
	We have also modernised the Manufacturing Advisory Service and increased its funding, including an extra £7 million to support supply chains.
	Furthermore, we recognise there is a need to manage the procurement and investment processes in the public sector so we can sustain a competitive supply base that meets the UK’s strategic needs. The Growth Review looked at how the Government can support businesses, including those in the rail sector.
	The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), announced a series of measures at the Strategic Supplier summit last November, which focus on taking a more strategic approach to the way we buy public goods, works and services so that we can better develop and manage our supply markets. These include the publication of rolling medium term pipelines for significant projects by April this year. The measures will not only ensure we get better value for money over the longer-term, but will also help the market to better prepare and invest in the capabilities needed to meet future UK demand.

Research: EU Grants and Loans

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of funding from the Sixth European Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development has been allocated to the UK.

David Willetts: The UK has been allocated €2,369 million(1), equivalent to 14% of all funding under the Sixth EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (2003-06).
	(1) European Commission, FP6 projects and participants database, final version, released June 2008

Research: EU Grants and Loans

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the performance of the European Framework Programme in (a) innovation, (b) business engagement and (c) pure research.

David Willetts: A BIS commissioned study undertaken by Technopolis Ltd in 2010 reported on the impacts of the European Framework Programme (FP) for Research and Technological Development in the UK. The headline messages were:
	Good alignment between Framework Programme priorities and UK national research and innovation strategies, for example, through the creation of the European Research Council and its support for blue-skies research.
	At the time of the report, private commercial organisations made up the majority of UK participants, more than 600 UK-registered private companies were involved in FP7 (or 67% of total UK participants).
	The majority of business respondents indicated that their involvement in FP had yielded important commercial benefits, with many reporting having gained access to new or significantly improved tools or methodologies, and some even reporting the creation of formal elements of intellectual property.
	The full report can be found on the BIS website:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/science/docs/i/10-1158-impact-eu-rtd-framework

Research: EU Grants and Loans

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had on funding for the Seventh European Framework Programme.

David Willetts: The overall funding levels and distribution for the Seventh Framework Programme were agreed in negotiations which were concluded before it was launched in 2007. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has therefore not had any discussions on this subject.

Research: Finance

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the total (a) number and (b) monetary value was of grants for research and development provided under (i) micro projects, (ii) research projects, (iii) development projects and (iv) exceptional development project categories, or their replacement schemes in (A) 2007, (B) 2008, (C) 2009, (D) 2010 and (E) 2011; what the total monetary value was of the contributions to project costs made by companies which qualified for grants under each category in each year; and what assessment he has made of any future demand under these schemes.

David Willetts: The number and value of grant offers made to companies under the Government's Grants for Research and Development (R&D) programme between 2007 and 2011 is as follows:
	
		
			  Micro Research Development Exceptional 
			  N umber Value (£) N umber Value (£) N umber Value (£) N umber Value (£) 
			 2010/11 6 118,963 25 1,999,828 35 4,820,579 2 681,586 
			 2009/10 45 753,539 163 12,683,618 126 16,925,797 8 1,939,374 
			 2008/09 77 1,409,506 127 10,272,000 93 12,505,118 1 400,663 
			 2007/08 82 1,460,567 116 8,097,649 127 14,626,129 9 4,056,396 
			 2006/07 92 1,656,952 127 8,227,522 136 17,717,530 3 1,178,458 
		
	
	Figures for the value of contributions to projects costs made by companies are not available. However, under the terms of the Grant for R&D programme, the percentage of projects costs covered by the above grants (subject to the maximum grant) is as follows:
	Micro-projects—50%
	Research projects—60%—more in Assisted Areas
	Development projects—35%—more in Assisted Areas
	Exceptional Development projects—up to 35%
	In April 2011, the Technology Strategy Board introduced a new national programme of Grant for R&D awards (now renamed Smart Awards). The new programme provides support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for Development of Prototype, Proof of Concept, and Proof of Market projects. The value of awards offered in 2011/12 under the new programme is as follows:
	
		
			 Project type Grants offered (£) Company contribution (£) Total project cost (£) Number of projects 
			 Development of Prototype 20,904,154 33,203,323 54,107,477 125 
			 Proof of concept 13,814,478 12,893,274 26,707,752 184 
			 Proof of market 2,600,582 2,089,967 4,690,549 123 
		
	
	In December 2011, the Government announced £75 million of additional investment for the Technology Strategy Board to support innovative companies in developing new products and processes. As a result, the Technology Strategy will now make over £100 million available to SMEs between 2012-15 under the Smart Award programme.

Royal Mail: Public Appointments

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what process his Department uses to appoint directors of Royal Mail.

Norman Lamb: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), appoints the Chair of Royal Mail Holdings plc. This is an Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) regulated post and the process set out in the OCPA guidelines is followed.
	Under the Articles of Association of Royal Mail Holdings plc and those of its two direct subsidiaries, Royal Mail Group Limited and Post Office Limited, the Secretary of State's consent, as the special shareholder in all three companies, is required for all other directors' appointments.
	From 1 April, the Holdings Board comprises two directors, Donald Brydon and Alice Perkins, the respective Chairs of Royal Mail Group Limited and Post Office Limited. This reflects the operational independence that now sits with the boards of these subsidiaries.
	The process for appointments to the boards of the subsidiaries will now be conducted by the Nominations Committees of Royal Mail Group Limited and Post Office Limited.

Students: Fees and Charges

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2012, Official Report, column 232W, on higher education: admissions, what level of tuition fee loan he used to make his estimate.

David Willetts: The Department’s assumption for the average tuition fee loan for full-time students at publicly funded higher education institutions (HEIs) in 2012/13 is £7,500, which is assumed to be taken up by 90% of students.

Students: Finance

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to help mature students enrolled in full-time university courses with child care costs.

David Willetts: holding answer 20 February 2012
	Financial support is available for eligible full-time higher education students with children through the childcare grant, which is in addition to the standard statutory support package covering tuition costs and living cost support. This grant pays 85% of registered or approved child care costs in term times and vacations. In 2011/12 it is worth up to a maximum of £148.75 a week for one child and up to £255 a week for two or more children.
	Full-time higher education students with dependent children may also be able to receive the parents’ learning allowance. This is to meet course-related costs and is worth up to £1,508 in 2011/12.
	The childcare grant and parents’ learning allowance are income-assessed and do not have to be repaid.
	Higher education students with dependent children may also be entitled to claim child tax credit from HM Revenue and Customs.

Students: Finance

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many places the Student Loans Company plans to fund for students enrolled on designated courses in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16.

David Willetts: The Student Loans Company is responsible for providing financial support to eligible English domiciled students and EU students who have places on designated courses at universities and colleges. It does not limit the availability of that funding to a specific number of students at those universities and colleges.
	Department estimates on cash outlay for student maintenance support and tuition fee loans up to 2014-15 are as follows:
	
		
			 £ million 
			 Outlay 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 
			 Maintenance Loans 3,200 3,300 3,450 
			 Maintenance Grants 1,350 1,450 1,500 
			 Tuition Fee Loans 3,550 5,050 6,350 
		
	
	The numbers are consistent with the impact assessment published in June 2011. Student support funding and departmental budgets beyond 2015 will be determined in the next spending review.

Summertime

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to his statement of 3 December 2010, Official Report, column 1154, when the Government intends to publish its review of the available evidence about the potential effects of moving to central European time in the UK.

Norman Lamb: As daylight saving is a recurring topic in Parliament and among the wider public, the Government decided that a short study should be conducted to review the scope, quality and robustness of the available evidence concerning putting the clocks forward by one hour, the year round, in the UK. A contract is being advertised for an independent research body/organisation to conduct the study which will be published in due course.
	However, as the Prime Minister has made clear, a change should only occur if there was UK wide consensus. The Government would not expect to make any change if there was clear opposition from any part of the UK.

Sunday Trading: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on small businesses in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency of relaxing the provisions of the Sunday Trading Act 1994 between 22 July and 9 September 2012.

Mark Prisk: The Government have not looked specifically at the effect of the temporary suspension of part of the Sunday Trading Act 1994 on small business in the Birmingham, Ladywood constituency.
	The suspension of the restrictions on the hours that some large shops can open on Sundays during the Olympic and Paralympic games is a temporary measure for eight Sundays between 22 July and 9 September.
	In 2006, as part of a wider review of Sunday trading restrictions, the previous Government commissioned Indepen Consulting Ltd to carry out an analysis of the economic costs and benefits of easing restrictions on large shops trading on Sundays. The conclusion of that cost-benefit analysis was that the net economic benefit of full liberalisation is worth £20.3 billion over 20 years or £1.4 billion per annum. The Government’s recent announcement on the proposal to suspend some of the Sunday trading laws during the Olympic and Paralympic games is not a test case for possible wider liberalisation.

Technology Strategy Board

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish data on the (a) number and (b) monetary value of collaborative research and development project grants awarded by the Technology Strategy Board in each year since 2007 showing (i) the average number of organisations participating per project (ii) the average number of universities and other higher educational establishments participating per project, (iii) the average number of micro businesses participating per project, (iv) the average number of other small businesses participating per project, (v) the average number of other small and medium-sized enterprises participating per project, (vi) the average number of large businesses participating per project and (vii) the average number of other organisations participating per project.

David Willetts: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The number and value of collaborative research and development projects supported by the Technology Strategy Board, and the average number of participants by organisation type, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 Number of collaborative research and development projects 235 309 271 323 574 
			 Value of collaborative research and development grants awarded by TSB (£ million) 209 104 243 151 57 
			 Average number of organisations per collaborative research and development project 4.5 3 4 3.5 3 
			 Average number of Universities/HEIs per collaborative research and development project 0.6 0.3 0.7 0.7 0.5 
			 Average number of micro-businesses per collaborative research and development project 0.2 0.2 0.15 0.5 0.9 
			 Average number of small businesses per collaborative research and development project 1.1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.7 
			 Average number of medium sized businesses per collaborative research and development project 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.2 
			 Average number of large businesses per collaborative research and development project 2 0.9 1.1 0.7 0.4 
			 Average number of other organisations per collaborative research and development project 0.1 0.3 0.9 0.5 0.2 
			 Note: The above participant figures are rounded.

Technology Strategy Board

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the total monetary value of collaborative research and development grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board was to (a) micro businesses, (b) other small businesses, (c) other small and medium-sized enterprises in each year since 2007 together with the value of contributions to project costs made by each category of business in each of those years.

David Willetts: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The value of collaborative research and development grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to companies other than small and medium-sized enterprises, and the value of contributions to collaborative research and development project costs by those companies, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 Total collaborative research and development grant commitment to companies other than SMEs 106.0 39.1 82.8 48.7 16.9 
			 Total commitment to collaborative research and development projects by companies other than SMEs 154.0 51.2 107.6 73.3 36.2

Technology Strategy Board

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the total monetary value was of collaborative research and development grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to companies other than small and medium-sized enterprises in each year since 2007, together with the value of contributions to project costs made by those companies in each of those years.

David Willetts: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The value of Collaborative R&D grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to companies other than small and medium-sized enterprises, and the value of contributions to Collaborative R&D project costs by those companies, is as follows:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Total CR&D grant commitment to companies other than SMEs Total commitment to CR&D projects by companies other than SMEs 
			 2007 106.0 154.0 
			 2008 39.1 51.2 
			 2009 82.8 107.6 
			 2010 48.7 73.3 
			 2011 16.9 36.2

Technology Strategy Board

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the total monetary value was of collaborative research and development grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to universities and other higher educational establishments in each year since 2007, together with the value of contributions to project costs made by them in each of those years.

David Willetts: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The value of Collaborative R&D grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to universities and other higher educational establishments, and the value of contributions to Collaborative R&D project costs by those universities/HEIs, is as follows:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Total CR&D grant commitment to universities and other higher educational establishments Total commitment to CR&D projects by universities and other higher educational establishments 
			 2007 37.7 1.0 
			 2008 20.1 0.3 
			 2009 20.9 5.6 
			 2010 38.3 1.9 
			 2011 16.4 0.1

Technology Strategy Board

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the total monetary value was of collaborative research and development grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to organisations which were not small to medium enterprises, other companies, universities or higher educational establishments in each year since 2007, together with the value of contributions to project costs made by them in each of those years.

David Willetts: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The Collaborative R&D grant committed by the Technology Strategy Board to organisations which were not companies, universities or other higher educational establishments, and the value of contributions to Collaborative R&D project costs by those organisations, is as follows:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Total CR&D grant commitment to organisations which were not companies, universities and other higher educational establishments Total commitment to CR&D projects by organisations which were not companies, universities and other higher educational establishments 
			 2007 6.2 4.4 
			 2008 4 2.8 
			 2009 1.8 1.6 
			 2010 8.3 6.7 
			 2011 2.6 1.1

Telephone Services: Unsolicited Goods and Services

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward proposals to improve the provisions in place to prevent unsolicited marketing calls by businesses to members of the public.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	Members of the public can be protected from unsolicited marketing calls by registering their telephone number with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS). The TPS is a free service, provided under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR). The regulations do not allow unsolicited marketing calls to be made to a recipient, either where the caller has previously been notified that they should not call, or if the recipient is registered with the TPS. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has enforcement responsibility and considers complaints about unsolicited marketing calls. The ICO can issue a fine of up to £500,000 for the most serious breaches of the PECR. The Department is currently exploring possible improvements to the TPS to help ensure that the protections provided under PECR remain effectively implemented.

Textiles

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the textile sector in Leicester is to the economy; how many people are employed in the industry; what proportion of the industry operates in each region; and what the industry spent on its supply chains in the UK in 2011.

Mark Prisk: According to the National Accounts published by the Office for National Statistics the manufacture of textiles (excluding clothing and leather product manufacture) accounted for £2.3 billion gross value added in 2010, 0.2% of the UK economy. It also provided employment for 70,000 across the UK—2,100 of which were employed in Leicester.
	The value of goods and services consumed in production by the textile industry was £3 billion in 2009; the latest year for which these data are available.
	Official statistics on financial data (gross value added and intermediate consumption) are not detailed enough to separately identify individual cities such as Leicester.
	The following table details the regional breakdown of employment in the textile manufacturing sector.
	
		
			 Employment in the textile manufacturing industry 2010 by region 
			 Region Employment Percentage of total 
			 North East 3,200 5 
			 North West 12,900 21 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 12,700 21 
			 East Midlands 9,200 15 
			 West Midlands 2,600 4 
			 East of England 1,200 2 
			 London 2,800 5 
			 South East 4,500 7 
			 South West 2,800 5 
			 Wales 1,900 3 
			 Scotland 5,100 8 
			 Northern Ireland 2,000 3 
			 Source: Business Registers Employment Survey 2010 (ONS)

Textiles

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the textile sector is to the economy; how many people are employed in the industry; what proportion of the industry operates in each region; and what the industry spent on its supply chains in the UK in 2011.

Mark Prisk: According to the National Accounts published by the Office for National Statistics the manufacture of textiles (excluding clothing and leather product manufacture) accounted for £2.3 billion gross value added in 2010, 0.2% of the UK economy. It also provided employment for 70,000 across the UK.
	The value of goods and services consumed in production by the textile industry was £3 billion in 2009; the latest year for which these data are available.
	The following table details the regional breakdown of employment in the textile manufacturing sector.
	
		
			 Employment in the textile manufacturing industry 2010 by region 
			 Region Employment Percentage of total 
			 North East 3,200 5 
			 North West 12,900 21 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 12,700 21 
			 East Midlands 9,200 15 
			 West Midlands 2,600 4 
			 East of England 1,200 2 
			 London 2,800 5 
			 South East 4,500 7 
			 South West 2,800 5 
			 Wales 1,900 3 
			 Scotland 5,100 8 
			 Northern Ireland 2,000 3 
			 Source: Business Registers Employment Survey 2010 (ONS)

Textiles

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  if he will take steps to support the Leicester textile sector industry and its domestic supply chain;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to support the textile industry and its domestic supply chain.

Mark Prisk: The textiles sector has access to the full range of Government support available which includes www.businesslink.co.uk, the Manufacturing Advisory Service, and the Technology Strategy Board. The Deputy Prime Minister announced a third round of the Regional Growth Fund at the Manufacturing Summit on 23 February. Businesses, including those active in the textiles industry, have until 13 June to apply and further information on the application process can be found at
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/economic-development/regional-growth-fund
	UK Trade & Investment can also help the domestic supply chain for textiles exploit opportunities for exporting into new markets overseas. We are also helping raise skills levels through an unprecedented focus on vocational training, including higher level apprenticeships which will provide for higher level skills and beyond into postgraduate level and professional qualifications.
	The textiles sector, particularly technical textiles, continues to have access to opportunities for technology transfer and the exchange of knowledge provided by the Materials Knowledge Transfer Network.
	On 23 March, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), announced that the £125 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative will open for applications from across advanced manufacturing sectors. This opened on 29 March. This initiative will provide grants and loans to successful projects demonstrating real ambition to create globally competitive supply chains. The funding can support a combination of investment in capital equipment, associated research and development, and training and skills in recognition of the flexibility needed to overcome the barriers that suppliers and supply chains can face. Birmingham city council will oversee the competition to award funds for this national scheme whilst the Technology Strategy Board will support Birmingham city council through running the competition process. There will be briefing for interested businesses and more information on the criteria of the fund, timescales, eligibility and how to bid will be available at
	www.innovateuk.org
	This national initiative is being funded by the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. It is complemented by the modernised Manufacturing Advisory Service where we have increased its funding, including an extra £7 million to support supply chains.

Trade Fairs

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the performance of UK companies at international trade shows.

Mark Prisk: UKTI runs a programme of continuous assessment of the benefits achieved as a result of support to businesses at overseas trade shows under the Tradeshow Access programme (TAP). This Performance and Impact Monitoring Survey (PIMS) includes business capabilities developed, barriers overcome and improved business performance as a result of the presence at the trade show. TAP scores highly, above 80%, in terms of customers improved business performance.

Trade Fairs

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many companies received grants from the Tradeshow Access Programme in each of the last five years; what the total amount paid out was in each year; and what the highest individual payment was in each year.

Mark Prisk: The Tradeshow Access programme has supported the following number of businesses in the last five years.
	
		
			 Financial year Number  of  b usinesses Total amount paid (£ million) Highest individual payment to a business (1)  (£) 
			 2007/08 3,500 5.9 5,400 
			 2008/09 3,600 5.1 5,000 
			 2009/10 4,100 6 9,200 
			 2010/11 4,100 6 6,800 
			 2011/12 3,200 4.8 7,200 
			 (1) This figure relates to the total grant paid to an individual business against attendance at a number of trade shows in that financial year.

Trade Fairs

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much and what proportion of Tradeshow Access Programme funding has been allocated to identifying suitable companies to participate in the programme in each of the last five years.

Mark Prisk: There is no specific level of Tradeshow Access programme (TAP) funding allocated to identifying suitable businesses to participate in the programme. Businesses are recruited through the publishing of the planned programme of supported trade shows through UK Trade and Investments (UKTI's) website and the promotion of the events programme by relevant trade bodies. Applicants' suitability to benefit from TAP support is assessed by UKTI international trade teams in England and their counterparts in the devolved administrations.

Trade Fairs

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what criteria UK Trade and Investment uses to assess the effectiveness of the representation of UK companies who have received money from the Trade Show Access Programme at international trade shows.

Mark Prisk: The effectiveness of the representation of UK businesses with support under the Tradeshow Access programme is measured through UKTI's Performance and Impact Monitoring Survey (PIMS). Details of the evaluation criteria set for PIMS can be obtained on the UKTI web site at:
	www.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/aboutukti/item/115854.html

Trade Promotion: Far East

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what UK Trade and Investment trade delegations have travelled to (a) Japan and (b) China since May 2010; and how many firms from (i) Newcastle, (ii) the north east and (iii) the UK took part in each delegation.

Mark Prisk: Since 1 May 2010 a total of 14 UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) delegations have visited Japan. The number of firms from the UK as a whole was 158. Three firms from the north east took part in three of the delegations. Two Newcastle firms took part in two of the delegations.
	Over the same period, 47 UKTI delegations have visited China. The number of firms from the UK as a whole was 458. 51 North east firms took part in 14 of the delegations. 14 Newcastle firms took part in eight of the delegations to China.
	A list of the delegations that have visited Japan and China will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

UK Intellectual Property Office

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Intellectual Property Office's international strategy.

Norman Lamb: The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) continues to monitor progress on implementation of its international strategy through its internal business and corporate plans. These in turn are fed into the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' structural reform plan.
	To date the IPO has made strong progress in achieving its aims. They have begun implementing the Government's new IP attaché programme—helping cement strong relations in emerging markets, such as China and India, with more appointments to follow in the next financial year; they are at the forefront of negotiations for a European Unitary Patent, a key strand of the international strategy; maintain a good reputation in negotiating groups at the World Intellectual Property Office and are working with Whitehall partners to enhance the status of intellectual property issues with other international institutions.